


My Sunshine, My Moonlight

by Doeeyedmisfit



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Bottom Lee Jeno, Fluff, Getting Together, Lee Donghyuck | Haechan is Whipped, Lee Jeno is Whipped, M/M, Romance, Smut, Top Lee Donghyuck | Haechan, doyoung haechan and jaehyun are bffs, doyoung is jeno's cousin, florist jeno, haechan is older, jaehyun is doyoung's bff, jeno is baby, mentions of character death/hyucks father, romcom, surgeon haechan
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-26
Updated: 2020-09-26
Packaged: 2021-03-06 15:08:19
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 34,377
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26090884
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Doeeyedmisfit/pseuds/Doeeyedmisfit
Summary: Jeno falls.Donghyuck falls harder.
Relationships: Lee Donghyuck | Haechan/Lee Jeno
Comments: 14
Kudos: 129





	1. Falling for you

**Author's Note:**

> this is a romcom..........hopefully
> 
> this is just a lighthearted fic, i just wanted like really soft jeno with a whipped hyuck, so like here it is, this will have six chapters, however there may be a seventh depending on whether i decide to add something spicy LOL okay yeah so
> 
> enjhoyy

“Hyung, I _really_ can’t, please try to understand.” The man on the other line persists yet again, and the brunette sighs, rubbing his thumb and middle finger against his temples. He felt mildly agitated and desperate for the other to listen to him.

“Hyung, you know I would if I could, but I myself have so many orders to complete for tomorrow, I really don’t think I could manage.” 

He waits yet again, listening to the string of pleas from the other male, and he feels torn. 

Should he help the latter out, or look after his own work? 

He’s quite aware that there’s only some time left before he gives in. 

He has seven orders due for tomorrow that need to be delivered to different locations all around Seoul; an intricate maze that is anything but small. He’s thankful he finished three out of the seven orders earlier that day, otherwise he really wouldn’t be able to help the other. 

Saying _no_ has always been a challenge, but he tried anyway in hopes of the situation coming out in his favor. Clearly that didn’t work out. He’s always fallen short in comparison to other people’s level of persistence.

He’ll just go down to the shop earlier than he usually does and get started, and hopefully by noon they’ll be done. The arrangements aren’t delivered by him anyways, he has part time staff to do that for him. He can just ask one of them to close the shop with the bribe of a few extra bucks.

“O-okay, Jaehyunie hyung, don’t worry, I’ll work something out.”

A soft smile graces his face at the endless _thank you, Jeno-yah’s_ and _I owe you’s_ tumbling through the other’s mouth like a landslide. 

He’s glad to be able to help his hyung out, at the same time though, it was at the expense of himself, by inconveniencing himself, but Jeno quickly dispels that thought. 

Helping a friend is not and should never be an inconvenience. 

The phone call ends once minor details of _where to meet_ and _at_ _what time_ are exchanged between the two, and the tired brunette sighs yet again, placing his phone down on to the kitchen table he was sitting at, in his small, cozy, humble abode. 

With the stress of his own job, and now the emergency he has to tend to he dejectedly, and very lightly, regrets having a second major in photography.

Lee Jeno; twenty-eight, unfortunately single, an undergrad in Botany and photography, and the proud owner of _Gardenia_ –a moderately sized shop located in the heart of Seoul city. 

His shop houses a huge variety of beautiful plants and flowers, enamouring anyone who enters the mini exotic forest by both sight and smell. 

Jeno had loved plant life from a very young age; he grew up on his grandparent’s farm, picking strawberries, and plucking apples from trees ten times the size of his small four-year-old body. 

He only moved to Seoul at the beginning of elementary school, when his father landed a job in the bustling metropolis. 

Even then, his love for plants didn’t abandon him, instead it only prospered, and his parents encouraged him even more. At the young age of ten, he had a flourishing garden in the backyard of his parents’ house that he tended to with utmost care. 

The raw passion and devotion he displayed towards his mini garden paved a path and gave his small little mind (at the time) an idea of what it was that he wanted to do once he grew up. 

Back then all he could dream of was the amount of strawberries he could grow as a strawberry farmer, but once he reached high school, his plans and goals cleared out significantly and became more concrete. 

He wanted to learn everything about flowers and plants, and share with others the joy that plants brought him.

Jeno achieved his dreams, and now he brightens his customers’ day with the plants he grows. 

Life is pretty smooth sailing for him, however, every once in a while things come up and with being the worrywart he is, his whole world seems to spiral out of his hands. 

Lee Jeno has a bad habit of overthinking and an even worse habit of not believing in himself or his abilities. His confidence levels often hang out with the plates below the earth’s surface -they’re quite close now with the frequency of their meetings. 

It’s likely the result of living a life that mostly included the company of the nature that grew around him. The most socializing he got done was probably when he’d recount his day’s happenings to his succulent babies, or the group projects that college and university professors would force the students into. 

That doesn’t mean Jeno was necessarily quiet or shy. He spoke a lot -as in _a lot_ \- but that’s reserved for family members and friends he’s close to, or the regulars at his store. 

In no way is he scared or intimidated by people, he just hesitates in approaching strangers, anxious that he won’t have anything of interest to entertain them with. 

His passion lies in plant life, and his leisure activities go from riding his bike around town to reading fictional books, and playing video games. There isn’t much he’s familiar with other than what he’s actually interested in and that scares him just a bit when it comes to introducing himself to others. 

He’s already been judged for obsessing over video games at his age, and because he’s a passive people pleaser, Jeno would get embarrassed and question his hobbies rather than find fault in others' comments.

There haven’t been many times where he’s found a common ground to rest on with another, and those stagnant conversations would fade away into awkward silences and forced smiles, powering the stifling atmosphere he fears. 

Jeno strongly prefers not to relive those uncomfortable scenarios. 

Currently though, after the godforsaken phone call, his mind has become a home to countless worries. 

_How should I manage four orders?_

_Should I go to the shop after dawn or before dawn?_

_Why couldn’t Doyoung hyung just go instead?_

_Why me?_

And an even more prolonged, whiney, _why me?_

The problem that fell on him seemingly out of nowhere was not his to begin with. He was forced into resolving the sudden conflict. 

His cousin –Doyoung hyung’s –best friend, Jaehyun hyung, needed him last minute to fill in for a sick employee of his. 

Jaehyun ran a small but successful business as a wedding videographer -enslaving beautiful memories into a three-minute-long video and compiling albums heavier than the lucky couple’s vows to one another. 

Jeno met the older male when he was in university and needed advice picking out a camera for his photography major. 

Doyoung had asked his photographer/filmmaker friend to help his _baby brother_. Needless to say, after their first meeting, Jeno and Jaehyun had quickly bonded over their mutual interests in photography and making Doyoung’s life a living hell. 

Several years later into the present, their friendship has only grown to the point that before, it was only Doyoung referring to Jeno as his baby or baby brother, now Jaehyun had claimed a seat on that train too. 

The present climate finds Jeno tolerating two grown men calling him, an equally grown man a few years younger than them, _baby_. 

Their close relationship is why Jeno found refusing the elder in his time of need even harder of a task to do. 

He’s quite confident Jaehyun wouldn’t possess the determination of a loan shark if it wasn’t that big of a deal. 

Apparently, the wedding he needed his most talented photographer for, currently bedridden with a stomach bug, was an _extremely_ important client. Sending any of his novice interns was not something the elder dared to risk. At least that’s what Jaehyun relayed to him through his panicked rambling.

 _It’s okay_ , Jeno thinks, he’ll just sleep less today, leave early in the morning for work and finish his orders by what he hopes is 11am, and then he can rush to the wedding location that Jaehyun has _yet_ to send him. 

He can get done with his task there, and once he gets back home he can catch up on his missed sleep all through saturday (during the weekends, he has staff working the shop for him). 

_It’ll all be okay_ , he tells himself once again, _everything works out in the end anyway_. 

He lifts himself off his ochre colored sofa, hits the light switch, and plods towards his bedroom, leaving the dark living room. There, once he’s kicked off his sweats, he flops onto his bed and passes out almost immediately. 

Jeno reaches the location huffing and puffing, having gotten off a block before because he’s directionally challenged. Then he ran the rest of the way to the venue, a grand church that looms over him, the ancient structure intimidating yet gorgeous, its dull grey bricks hiding behind olive colored vines, winding, and weaving into beautiful patterns. 

Sweat trickles down his forehead and the length of his back, he can feel its slow descent and it makes him feel just a tiny bit uncomfortable. His previously ironed clothes, an extremely baggy cream-colored dress-shirt coupled with a pair of loose fitted black slacks have formed a few wrinkles in it too. 

His vintage round glasses refuse to stay in place and relentlessly slip down the slope of his nose. He’s two seconds away from chucking them in the garbage bin he passes by in his search for the videographer. 

The concrete stairs leading to the entrance of the chapel are swarming with people in tuxedos and dresses worth more than the monthly cheque he e-transfers his landlord. The stench of old money reeks the place. It intimidates him and the five dollar watch around his wrist that he picked up from goodwill.

He mindlessly fidgets with his own clothes, standing on his tiptoes to look for that familiar head of cherry blossom colored hair. Jeno isn’t short by any means, but he also isn’t the tallest and the venue is swarming with people as tall as lampposts. In simpler words, lacking his sarcasm, it’s hard to see past them. 

The sigh he heaves out mirrors his resignation to find the elder, and _no_ _way_ is he entering the church on his own. 

He’d rather look like a lost child outside the building instead of doing so inside, where he guarantees there are twice the number of people he’s seeing right now. 

As a last resort, and the first he should have chosen if he was as smart as his GPA declares he is, he remembers he has a phone -a _smart_ one at that, _ha._

Jeno pulls out the device from the black leather backpack hanging off his shoulder, a graduation present from Doyoung. The moment he turns the phone on, the screen lighting up to his wallpaper –a picture of his succulent babies chilling on his windowsill, he hears a familiar shout of his name and he whips his head in the direction. 

Jaehyun is standing at the top of the stairs, a camera held in one hand, and the other in the pockets of his formal pants. He’s wearing a suit, all black, with a rose the same pink of his hair tucked in the pocket of his suit jacket. 

Jeno, before he can start poking fun at the elder, weaves his way through the crowd and reaches Jaehyun, wrapping his arms around the taller man’s neck and tugging him into a hug, a grin on both their faces.

“Jaehyunie hyung, you didn’t tell me _you_ were the groom.” He teases, still squeezing the elder.

Jaehyun’s laugh is loud and happy as usual, offering endless pats to his back until Jeno finally sets him free.

“The bride is the younger sister of one of my oldest and closest friends, so out of respect for him and his family, that knows me very well –a bit _too_ well,” he adds with a sheepish shrug, “I polished myself up a bit, do I look fine though?” He asks, tilting his chin up and raising an eyebrow, eliciting a hearty giggle out of the younger.

“Jaehyunie hyung, if I didn’t see you as another version of Doyoung hyung, I’d say yes if you asked me to marry you.” He jokes, expecting a similar remark in response.

“I don’t need to propose to you, you’re already my baby remember.” The elder wiggles his eyebrows suggestively. 

Jeno twists his mouth in disgust, an extended wail of _hyung~_ leaving his mouth and that’s obviously not enough, so he lightly slaps at Jaehyun’s shoulder, who’s all dimples with his wide grin.

“You’re gross hyung, now stop trying to court me and tell me what I have to do.” He slaps the other again on the arm, just for good measure.

Jaehyun, still chuckling at the traumatized younger, throws an arm around his shoulders and leads them inside.

The church seems even larger on the inside than it did outside. 

Jeno allows himself a moment to absorb the ambience and atmosphere of yet another gorgeous church. Grand crystal chandeliers reflect the rays of sunlight filtering through artfully designed stained glass windows, creating kaleidoscope patterns on the shiny marble floors. On either side of the aisle, rows and rows of polished wooden pews occupy the space, some filled with the attendees.

“I came earlier and got done with the family pictures, and the pictures of the location, all I need you to do is take pictures starting from when the bride walks down the aisle, you don’t have to worry about the groom, they’ve hired someone else who’ll be filming most of their family’s side, and once the couple leaves to the next location, you can go home if you want.” He explains distractedly, fiddling with the settings on his own camera.

“Got it, so –you wanted me to take the pictures cause you didn’t want your interns screwing up pictures of your friend’s sister’s wedding?” He asks, turning his head this way and that, watching people greet each other with tight smiles and backs so straight Jeno thinks their spines might have been replaced by steel rods.

Maybe they are, anything is possible when you have overweight back accounts.

Other, smaller groups of people seem to be running around hysterically from one corner to another – _those_ are most definitely directly related to the bride and groom. 

Jeno’s only seen and met this particular group a couple billion times, always oversharing the amount of stress they’re under while choosing flowers for corsages, bouquets, and table decorations.

Jaehyun shakes his head, the weight of his arm still heavy around his shoulder as they stand to the side close to the great mahogany doors.

“No, _well_ not entirely, they’re rich people, you heard of the _Lee’s_?” 

Jeno lifts his lips into a smirk and Jaehyun glances at him for a second before groaning at the ceiling, but his dimples betray the exasperation he feigns.

“Of course I’ve heard of the _Lee’s_.” Jeno persists with his joke. Jaehyun just shakes his head, used to his antics. 

“ _This_ Lee family owns nearly all private hospitals in Seoul, on top of that the successor, my friend, is a surgeon in one of the branches, and he only contacted me because he knows I have one of the best photographers working under my company; hence, I need to give them the best because he’s my friend and also because they’re rich and want the best.”

The end of Jaehyun’s explanation has Jeno feeling like he’s also met his end. Panic bubbles in his stomach and he turns on the elder, his eyes wide and shaking.

He remembers to keep his voice low, although with the ruckus and noise in the church he doubts he’ll be heard if he were to yell as he’d prefer to.

“ _Hyung?!_ H _—_ how can you expect me to give you professional photos!?” he stares at the elder and the way his eyes roam the width of the room, as if he was seriously contemplating the answer, though Jeno knows he doesn’t mean it and it’s just to humor him. 

“Omigod _hyung_ , this is a disaster I can feel it, how could you do this?! Now your friend’s going to call you up and demand a refund while chewing you out for ruining his sister’s wedding pictures and it’ll all be because of _me_ –an innocent florist!” He exclaims, as loudly as his fear of others hearing him will allow, his hands itch to tug on his hair but the camera he’s holding restricts him.

Jeno genuinely is experiencing trouble understanding just _what_ went through the older man’s mind for him to take such a huge risk for something so _so_ important. 

Yes, he can take pictures, but so can his grandma! That doesn’t mean she should be hired to document a wedding. 

Okay, Jeno knows how to take pictures, yes he has majored in it, but that means shit compared to a professional. His scale is much less like, _below_ _zero_ less. He can barely remember the numerous pages he mugged up on the effects of lighting. 

Which is why he has the strongest urge to crawl under one of the pews and hide from his hyung so when his surgeon friend showers him with curses, Jeno doesn’t have to be at the receiving end of the insults.

Jeno doesn’t do too well with getting yelled at. 

The elder just regards his panicking with kind eyes and a soft, almost sad smile. 

He holds the side of Jeno’s face gently with his free hand, the one the brunette had shrugged off his shoulders’ seconds ago.

“Jeno-yah, that’s what _you_ think, _I’ve_ seen your pictures countless times and I’d hire you as my only photographer if you weren’t so madly in love with your flowers,” he pinches the cheek he was holding. “I wouldn’t risk my company’s name if I didn’t think you were competent enough, _okay_?” Jaehyun insists, softly bumping his rosy head with Jeno’s. 

If he thinks his compliments will cease the sulking, then Jaehyun doesn’t know him well. 

But the elder does in fact know him very well, so Jeno isn’t surprised when the elder bends his knees enough to subject the weight of his determined gaze directly into his eyes.

“ _Hey_ , you can do this okay, your work is _outstanding_ , some of the best I’ve ever seen and I don’t wanna hear you say otherwise, got it? –now turn that frown upside down and be the trooper I’ve raised you to be.” 

Jeno laughs at the lame rhyme and at being called a trooper, what is Jaehyun - _a boomer?_

He feels a tad bit lighter and assured enough to freak out less than he had been. He’ll just have to try his best. Which isn’t a problem since Jeno isn’t known to half-ass things. 

And _this_ is a very important thing to someone, and he won’t let his insecurities and doubts come in the way of that. 

If Jaehyun thinks he can do it, then he’ll trust his hyung’s word.

“There’s my baby’s smile.” Jaehyun grins, and Jeno returns it with renewed vigor, contradicting the bright grin when he leans his weight against the other’s side.

“You and Doyoung hyung hang out _way_ too much, you’re starting to sound as ancient as he is.” 

The large hall takes a while to fill in, and it’s about thirty minutes later that everyone is settled. 

Seats full of guests, a handsome groom –a businessman that goes by the name of Park Hyungsik –standing at the front with the priest, all facing the doors of the church with bated breath. 

Jeno and Jaehyun stand a few steps from it, their respective cameras held within their clutches, both focused and ready to start capturing the precious moments to come. 

Jeno feels his heart thump erratically as if he were the one getting married, but the pressure to do extremely well, and not just _plain old_ well, has his mind becoming a frenzy of unhealthy thoughts which then contributes to his heart's quick palpitations. 

The camera is unsteady because his hands won’t stop shaking, he really wishes at this moment that he was at home or at his shop, in the company of his comforting flowers and a nice book to read, or maybe a cup of tea. Not here in between a bunch of strangers, attempting a task that could potentially screw someone’s business over, ruin a long-term friendship, and negatively impact the married couple’s printed memories of their big day.

A sweet melody fills the church, Jeno doesn’t bother turning around to figure out whether someone is playing the piano, or this church has taken advantage of modern amenities and installed speakers, keeping a boombox hidden somewhere in the gigantic building. 

His knuckles strain with the strong grip he keeps around the camera, and he furrows his brows to at least look like he’s concentrating on the digital screen, instead of stabilizing his nerves. 

Sparing a glance at the older male by his side, Jeno’s surprised to find Jaehyun already looking at him with a soft, encouraging smile. It doesn’t completely calm his nerves, but it gives him some semblance –the thought that at least he has his hyung next to him. 

He isn’t alone. 

The doors are, lack of a better word, thrown open and the cutest little girls, dressed in baby-pink dresses with flower crowns set atop their braided hair, waddle in throwing petals out of tiny woven baskets dangling from their chubby hands. 

Following them is a boy, maybe around the age of seven or eight, dressed in a sky-blue tuxedo paired with a cream-colored bowtie, carrying the rings tied to a pillow –the cutest little gentleman he’s ever seen. 

The sight of the endearing kids unknowingly produces a wide smile over his face, and the pictures he starts to take aren’t too forced, he just clicks away adjusting the camera to his liking. 

He turns quickly to get a photo of the flower girls, the ring bearer, and the groom’s endeared grin, in one frame. 

Once he faces the bride and the man she has her arm looped with, Jeno and Jaehyun both start moving backwards with the steps the other two take forward, their camera lenses focused. 

The bride is of course beautiful as any bride would be on her big day. Her eyes glitter with excitement, nervously flitting to the man standing at the end waiting for her, mirroring the bubbling joy she expresses.

Jeno takes pictures of the bride in both portrait and landscape. 

The man that walks her in shares the same round eyes as the bride, both siblings blessed in the looks department, he thinks. 

Jeno instantly knows that the good-looking man is Jaehyun hyung’s friend. 

While they were waiting earlier, the elder had told him that his friend’s father had passed away a few years back, and now it was just the two siblings and their mother. It was expected of the male to walk his sister down the aisle. 

With a few more steps, and a few more clicks of his camera, Jeno thinks that, _yes_ he’s finally got a hang of this, and _yes_ he can do this, the pictures are going to come out great –also, it would be nice if they walked a bit faster. 

Jaehyun hyung won’t lose his job or a friend, or whatever the consequences may be of badly taken pictures for rich people. Everything is going to be fine. 

That thought was going strong up until Jeno felt himself miss a step, trip over nothing but the good old mixture of oxygen and carbon dioxide. 

And that was when he knew, that not only was shit about to go down, but so was he. 

_Literally_. 

The moment the world shifts on its axis, at least for him, he closes his eyes, his hands clutching the camera to his chest like life support, (which he believes to be his biggest mistake –he probably should have tried to save himself instead of the device) and he lets out a shrill, surprisingly high pitched squeak of his lord and savior’s name, 

_Jaehyunie hyung!_

He lands on his ass with a heavy -and loud _thud_. He’s a hundred and seventy-two percent sure he heard a _crack_. Not entirely sure whether the polished marble or his bones now carry an indent the size of a crater. 

Jeno feels the numbing pain shoot up his spine, but his embarrassment overpowers it, and he refuses to look up from where he’s sprawled out on the ground. 

his long legs are splayed out like a jellyfish. Actually, he probably looks more like a toddler just minus the legos. 

Hushed murmurs and whispers play their beat against his ear drums. 

_Poor boy_

_Fell_

_Looked like it hurt_

_Jesus Christ_

The shame boiling in him has his ears and face feeling like they’ve gone up in smoke. 

Jeno gathers the remaining pieces of his dignity and begins to move, but another jolt of pain crawls up his spine and he helplessly lets out a hiss. 

He hears and feels, under his butt –through the ground it’s thumb-tacked itself to, quick heavy _thumps_ moving in his general direction. 

Two voices, one familiar and the other not, simultaneously ask him if he’s fine. 

It takes a bit of effort on his part to face the two men crouching before him, and he sort of dies inside at the worried face staring at him inches from his own.

Yeah Jaehyun is there too. 

Jeno can’t stop his eyes from doubling in size at the male dumbly gazing at him with an open mouth. 

His face definitely resembles a cooked lobster with how quickly he goes from being embarrassed because he fell in front of an audience to being embarrassed because he’s currently the object of some hot shot’s wonder. 

But Jaehyun’s fingers interrupt his sight, snapping centimetres away from his eyes.

Jeno blinks at the intrusion and whips his head in his hyung’s direction, forgetting all about the beautiful man looming over him towards his left. His focus shifts to Jaehyun completely, no Adonis to hypnotize him into forgetting the natural disaster that he is. 

Now the realization of what just happened dawns upon him in _fuller_ force, encouraging a sad, despairing turn of his lips.

“I’m so sorry, hyung.” He whispers, and Jaehyun seems confused for a split second with the apology.

The elder’s brows furrow over his narrow eyes and he fixes Jeno with a disapproving gaze.

“Don’t be ridiculous, Jeno-yah, are you okay? Does it hurt a lot? Can you stand?” He throws questions at him one by one. 

The brunette nods his head slowly, chancing a glance at the other male, who now looks worried too. 

Even the bride has come over, and Jeno feels like shooting himself in the head _–goodbye world and screw whoever played this practical joke on me!_

This is probably the most mortifying thing that’s happened to him, like _ever_ , and that’s a lot coming from him because Jeno’s caught himself in many compromising positions.

This is like his usual disaster on steroids.

“I –I can, I just need some help hyung –my waist is being an ass.” He mumbles, so only Jaehyun can hear, because that’s the only person he wants help from. 

He doesn’t want to further inconvenience the handsome man and his sister.

“I got you, don’t worry Jen.” 

Then his hyung goes and does the single thing Jeno was hoping he wouldn’t.

Jeno watches in matrix level slow-motion as Jaehyun looks to his friend and gestures towards him.

“Hyuck, hold him from that side.” His hyung orders offhandedly, and Jeno, as subtly as he can, glares daggers at Jaehyun.

_Hyung, you –ughh!_

“Of course.” He hears _Hyuck_ say. 

Not only does he look like an angel, but he sounds like one too, Jeno thinks, while the two men hoist him up.

The man is warm by his side and also where his arm winds around his waist. He gets a waft of his scent, something earthy and expensive. Jeno wants to smother himself in it.

But he stubbornly keeps his face angled towards Jaehyun, unwilling to add onto his existing mortification the bashfulness of being in the arms of a hot man right after making a spectacle of himself. 

Jeno probably looks like he spent an hour in front of the mirror brushing crimson red over his cheeks –Bob Ross style.

_Happy little accidents._

Once he’s up, and unfortunately free from the extra pair of arms, Jeno finally releases the air clogged in his airway. 

Jaehyun makes to move, but he just follows, sticking himself to the elder for some comfort. 

Understanding him immediately, as he expected from someone who’s known him for a long time, Jaehyun brings his hand up to comb through his disheveled locks, his fingers touching the moisture accumulating under the thick strands. 

Jeno sees the change in his hyung’s expression and he shakes his head, trying to stop him from feeling guilty.

“I’m okay, hyung. Can we just get this over with?” He pleads directly in Jaehyun’s ear.

At this particular moment, Jeno wishes he was a turtle so he could quietly pull his head into his shell and come back out once the church was free of these prominent figures of society. But of course, he can’t cause more delay by retreating in his mind to ponder over the benefits of becoming a reptile.

If he could, he’d ditch, but Jeno wasn’t raised to display such brashness. 

He’s utterly humiliated, and yes he wants to cry, but he can’t just get up and leave because he tripped over absolutely nothing and landed on his ass, and that too in front of an extremely handsome male. 

_He isn’t helping his case in any way._

The last bit isn’t _that_ important, but still, it’s quite rare for Jeno to be even minutely attracted to someone, even if it’s just appearance wise. So, it just adds to the pathetic-ness of this whole fiasco that didn’t play out in his favor at all. 

Jaehyun nods in response to his request, giving the top of his head a pat, and moves away.

Jeno fixes himself too, busying himself with the camera strap like it needed adjusting – _it_ _didn’t_ , and takes small steps to the side, a barely noticeable –but definitely present– limp in his walk. 

The piano or recording of the piano, Jeno isn’t sure and doesn’t have it in himself to care anymore, restarts its sweet wailing.

_When did that even stop?_

And they continue where they left off, before Jeno’s ass decided to kiss the floor. 

Thankfully, everything goes smoothly from there on. The Gods now satisfied having played their practical joke on the unsuspecting brunette. 

The rest of the ceremony passes by and Jeno is most grateful for that –even happier than the married couple. He’d sit in the car with the couple just to happily wave at everyone with the knowledge of his sweet departure.

Of course, they don’t offer him a seat, so, the second they send off the newlywed in their black convertible with the _just married_ board attached to the back, Jeno turns to Jaehyun and shoves the camera in his free hand.

“I’m going now, hyung, I need to go cry into my blanket.” He states, unblinking, voice as dead as he feels inside. 

Jaehyun grins down at him –used to his dramatics. The man hangs both cameras around his neck, Jeno for a second worries about the alignment of his spine, and cups Jeno’s sullen face between his palms.

“ _Tsk_ , no need to cry over something like that, you did great, okay? Things like that happen baby, no need to beat yourself over it, got it?” He waits for an answer, and when Jeno just looks down, away from his eyes, he squeezes the brunette’s cheeks, bringing out the fish lips.

“I swear Jeno-yah, you better not cry over this. _N_ ow, you go home, take a nice warm bath so it helps soothe your back, take a nap, and in the evening I’ll bring some chinese takeout and ice cream, we can eat and edit these pictures, how does that sound?” He asks without rest.

Jeno’s heart warms with the care the elder ensures to shower over him, especially now when he feels undeserving of it. 

But just to ease Jaehyun’s worries and not trouble him more, he meets the other’s soft smile with his own.

“Okay, hyung, sounds like a plan.” He says, loud enough just for Jaehyun’s ears.

“Good, and if I come to see red swollen eyes, I’m going to eat all the ice cream by myself _and_ _I’m gonna make you watch_.” He states with the most serious expression Jeno’s seen on him. It finally elicits a joyful giggle out of him.

Hoarding the entirety of his sadness while being the victim of the older male’s mischief is nearly impossible.

“That’s awfully cruel of you, hyung, but don’t worry, I won’t, I can’t risk my ice cream for it.” He plays along as always.

“Yeah, you better not, now get going, do you have a ride or do you want me to drop you off?” 

Jeno shakes his head, unclasping Jaehyun’s hands from his face.

“It’s okay, hyung, I called an uber, it should be here in a few minutes.” He tells him, giving the man a side hug since the cameras are hanging over his chest. 

“Alright go then, take care of yourself, I’ll see you in the evening, okay, baby?” 

Jeno hums, nodding at the elder who leaves a kiss to the side of his head.

“Bye, hyungie.” He singsongs, descending the stairs with his bag in hand. 

A few minutes later his uber arrives, and he leaves the venue. 

On the ride home, his mind is a witch’s pot –bubbling and boiling with concoctions of the embarrassment he felt, the pain in his ass, and obviously, the beautiful man that he’s most likely never to meet again. 

The last one, Jeno can’t seem to decide whether that’s a good thing or not. 

A few days after the wedding, almost an entire week later, Jaehyun receives a call from his _good friend_.

“What do you want?”

He waits as he’s answered.

“ _No,_ I’m not seeing anyone. Wait, why are you asking though? Should I be worried? After all these years have you finally realized you’re in love with me?”

The voice on the other line graces him with some colorful words, and he cleverly takes it as a _no._

“The photographer?”

 _Photographer_? Na Jaemin? Jaemin’s still on sick leave though?

“Ohhh _him_ ~ he doesn’t work for me, and he’s not a photographer, and we aren’t together but thank you, we do look good together, don’t we?”

He winces at the onslaught of expletives, holding the phone away from his ear, bringing it back once the voice has had their fill.

“ _Yes,_ _Hyuck_ , I brought an _unprofessional_ photographer to your sister’s wedding, mine cancelled last minute cause he got sick and trying to find a skilled photographer last minute would have busted your ass worse.”

Jaehyun rolls his eyes to the ceiling, used to the bitching and complaining.

“Hyuck, you saw the pictures right? Do they look anything less than what a professional would do?”

He’s met with silence, and he grins –smug.

“ _Thought_ _so,_ don’t have anything to say to that now do you, love doctor? Now what do you want? I don’t have time to play twenty-one questions with you.”

He squints his eyes, contemplating, his fingers twisting the pen held between them this way and that.

“The photographer? What about him?”

He sits up in his chair, leaning his weight onto his desk, his _overprotective-hyung_ senses waving red flags with urgency.

“ _Why_ do you want to know his name and number? He doesn’t do photography as a profession, he just helped me out because I asked him.”

Jaehyun nearly slips off his rolling chair with how he startles.

“ _You want to what now?!_ ” 

Yeah nope, not happening.

“ _Look,_ Hyuck, you sure? He’s like the younger brother I never had, so you can imagine the great lengths I would go for him.”

He tries to go for the subtle rejection method cause okay, he doesn’t want to be mean, that too to his own best friend.

“Firstly – _fuck_ _you_ , secondly –I wanna know that you’re sure, and won’t end up doing any stupid ass shit like breaking my baby’s _sensitive_ , _pure_ , _precious_ heart.”

Honestly speaking, Hyuck is a good person, they’ve been friends long enough for him to know that, but he rarely ever does actual relationships so…

“Wow, a week huh? _That_ _long_ , and that too after seeing him for five minutes, boy you must be whipped.”

Thinking about Jeno for a week straight?

Ha.

 _Straight_.

Yeah the kid seems to have that effect on everyone he meets.

“ _Alright_ , _alright_ , his name is Jeno -Lee Jeno, but I don’t think he’d appreciate me giving his number to a random guy he barely knows.”

He doubts Jeno would care to be honest, but it isn’t fun if he just gives Hyuck everything he asks for.

Let’s see how dedicated his best friend is.

“What are you supposed to do with _just_ his name? I don’t know, Donghyuck, why don’t you think about it yourself, what could you do with his name? Stalk him on facebook? Tattoo his name on your forehead? Restlessly call out for him in your sleep? The possibilities are endless.”

He looks out the window ignoring the insults being rapped to him, suddenly seeing the world through a filter the same pink of his hair as a tall man walks his poodle down the road.

He sullenly waves at the unaware back disappearing down the road, and sighs.

Pining tastes like shit.

“ _Okay_ , okay, gosh, no need to be such a dick fuckface, he owns a flower shop, it’s called _Gardenia_ -he works there throughout the week, so just go and ask for his number, if he gives it to you – _yay for you!_ and if he doesn’t – _yay for me!_ This will finally tell me if my baby has good taste in men or not.”

He directs a glare at the ceiling with the hope it laser beams it’s way through the cement into the heavens.

Why was Jaehyun given such insufferable friends?

“Well _obviously_ if he falls for you, he doesn’t have good taste, and if he rejects you, I’ll be assured that there is hope in this dark, _dark_ world.”

Another onslaught of words he’d censor hits him.

“I’m kidding, you’re a great guy, Hyuck—” he pauses to think, then adds “– _sometimes_.”

His remark isn’t humored this time.

“Bye, let me know how it goes!” 

The phone call ends.

Jaehyun opens his recent calls, and taps the name fifth in the list.

He’s answered on the second ring.

“Yo Doyoung, your _baby_ ’s being courted.”

The man sounds hysterical when he expresses his horror.

Jaehyun just smirks.

“Oh, _hell_ _yes_.”


	2. All of this is not a coincidence

Lee Donghyuck, 32, unfortunately single –he says it’s because he doesn’t want anyone – cardiothoracic surgeon and successor to the many hospitals his family owns. 

Donghyuck was brought up in a wealthy household, his family was one of the few at their level that were humble and helpful. He had seen his parents always keep an open hand, never being greedy and hoarding their riches for themselves. 

Naturally as the saying goes, children do the things they see you do, not the things you tell them to, the practice had instilled itself in Donghyuck, and had become part of his nature too. 

He never flaunted his wealth, never boasted his high status in society unless absolutely necessary since every once in a while he stumbles across one of the many snobs that litter his side of town, and boy does he relish in the frowns and grumbling once he’s put them in their place.

Being the son of the owners to one out of many hospital and clinic chains in Seoul, as a young child, Donghyuck visited events held at the hospitals many times, and that’s where his  _ want _ to become like one of those cool looking people in white coats had started. 

Over the years as he grew older his dreams kept shifting gears, at one point he wanted to be a professional basketball player, and then another few years passed and he desired stardom –to become a Kpop idol. 

On top of his numerous academic achievements, he was undeniably talented, knew how to sing, dance and rap. 

Donghyuck, as a young adult was aware that he could pretty much do anything if he put his mind to it, but when he finished his first four years at university, he’d visited a charity event with his parents, and it was there, seeing the patients with merciless diseases still looking so full of joy and utterly hopeful, that Donghyuck decided he wanted to help and to do something for them. 

When he brought it up with his parents, they were extremely proud and encouraging towards his goals set for himself, although they did mention that he needn’t do anything if he wanted, after all he was the heir to their business, he could take over earlier if he wanted. 

To Donghyuck, the idea of becoming something off of someone else’s hard work was just unacceptable and insulting. He could accomplish great things for himself, so why in the world would he mooch off someone else? 

However, it was with his parents’ help that he got through the different schools he had to in order to succeed. 

After six long years of slaving over different medicine related textbooks, excluding the first four years he spent at university, he finally graduated with his certificate and degree of a practicing surgeon. 

It has been four years since then, and now he’s working harder than ever to make his name and his late father’s name become even more known than it previously was. He wants to be known as Lee Donghyuck; Lee Jung Shin's son, and a capable  cardiothoracic surgeon  who’s the best in his field of expertise. 

He aspires to become the best and most recognized  cardiothoracic surgeon  in all of Seoul, maybe even the world. 

Being the extremely goal driven person he is, with the addition of a packed schedule set for himself, Donghyuck now more than ever does not have the time to devote himself to another person romantically. 

He doesn’t want to become a lover that his partner has to wait over and wonder when he’ll reply to their texts, or when the next time will be that they can see him. 

When Donghyuck dedicates himself to something, in this case a _ someone _ , he does so wholesomely. He’s never half-assed anything in his 32-years of living, and doesn’t plan to start now. Such an attitude is unappealing to him and completely contradicts the all-rounded man his parents brought him up to be. The cardiologist wants to be there at all times for his lover, as much as he can at least, and with all the work he’s buried under, the odds just never seem to be in his favor. 

Since his dad’s passing he’s been helping his mother out with the work she would previously do with his father, so he’s currently juggling two jobs and he really, like  _ really, _ doesn’t have the time for a relationship right now. 

_ That _ is why he cannot fathom why a certain brunette ceases to occupy the deep recesses of his mind -and * _ cough* _ heart _ *cough* _ . 

No matter how cliché it may sound he actually very literally sees wide, sparkling brown eyes when he closes his own. It isn’t just the other’s eyes though, he can’t keep himself from thinking about the other’s fair skin, that under his own gaze had turned a beautiful hue of red –his favorite color from that day forward. 

When he thinks about it though, that change in pallor could have been linked to the fact that the brunette tripped over and fell quite hard, and by the looks of it the poor guy seemed extremely mortified. 

The way he’d been clinging onto Jaehyun -his bro for life, hiding his face and talking in hushed whispers with a pout set to his plush lips,  _ that _ -Donghyuck cannot stop thinking about either. This he definitely finds hard to forget. 

And then Jaehyun had given a pat to the brunette’s head, right on top of those silky (they look as such) strands of mocha colored hair. They barely had any space between them.

_ Are they dating?  _

_ Am I hitting on Jaehyun’s boyfriend right now? _

_ But he would have told me if he was seeing someone? Right? Or was it supposed to be a surprise?  _

_ Should I ask him if we can share, or is that weird?  _

_ We have shared boxers before –so it shouldn’t be too weird…. _

Yes, he’s currently reliving and over thinking absolutely absurd thoughts on top of admiring the mesmerizing brunette’s appearance  _ again _ , and his cute borderline –endearing reaction to falling in front of a room full of strangers. 

Donghyuck should be looking over the large pile of his patients’ files, but he’s not because he’s busy pondering over the same questions that have set up tent in his mind for the past week, ever since he sent away his sister. 

He’s being dramatic but it’s his baby sister, so it’s okay to be a bit emotional. 

The questions have troubled him so much he’s pretty sure he’s going to need to diagnose himself pretty soon.

Donghyuck knows he’s becoming more pitiful and pathetic –dare he say  _ lovesick _ \- or whatever it is that they call infatuation these days, and he really should do something about it. He has wanted to for the past few days, but he isn’t really sure how to go about it. 

Now, Lee Donghyuck is not a man who shies away from others, not at all is he that way. He’s bold and honest, says what he has to and when he has to. 

But when it boils down to the fact that the questions he needs answers to are for his best friend, and that too about his best friend’s  _ maybe _ boyfriend –he doesn’t know –isn’t quite sure if he should go along with interrogating his friend.

His mind though is about to burst open with the pressure of a shaken coke bottle. He isn’t a cat but he knows that curiosity is one step away from killing him. 

It’s been much too long and too much time has been wasted –utilized wisely his heart would like to argue– dreaming about this photographer, this brunette that has the most regal features one could imagine, like he’s been sculpted by cupid’s own pudgy hands to lure in as many lovers as possible. 

He’s enticing and Donghyuck is hopelessly enticed. 

And now he’s tired of repeating the same thoughts he’s been having for the past week. It’s time to make it stop. It really is. 

So before he can chicken out as he usually does, he grabs his phone  _ (there’s a voice at the back of his head telling him to do this after working hours, but Donghyuck really doesn’t give a shit right now, he hasn’t been able to concentrate on his work for more than fifteen minutes before being disturbed by blushing cheeks and twinkling eyes, so he believes he’s doing himself and his previous efficient work ethics a big favor of finally getting over with this foolishness) _ –and dials his best friend –his  _ home-slice _ , Jaehyun.

He picks up right away.

His eyes roll on their own accord at the lack of greeting.

“I need to ask you something.”

Here goes nothing, this could either make him or break him (for a while at least). 

“Are you seeing anyone? As in dating anyone right now?”

Donghyuck nearly reaches for the dustbin under his desk so he could empty the contents of his stomach into it.

“Be in love with  _ you?! _ What the fuck dick face?! I’d rather drink an entire tub of anesthetic, that’s fucking disgusting dude–” he clears his throat, wiping a bead of sweat off his temple – _ ha ha when did that happen? _ “—but what about the photographer?”

His friend should consider eating almonds and walnuts, having such a weak memory in his thirties is not a good look.

“Yeah, the one that works for you, the one at the wedding, you guys were being all close and touchy….ring a bell, old man?”

Donghyuck has a hard time convincing his brain to comprehend what he just heard.

“Did you just say he  _ isn’t _ a fucking photographer?! Jaehyun you piece of shit you brought an  _ unprofessional _ photographer to take pictures at my sister’s wedding, what the fuck dude?!”

How did he end up being this guy’s friend again?

“Still, Jae, what if he messed up the pictures? Then what?”

Okay, so he may have a point there. The sample pictures had been more than wonderful, and most importantly his sister had loved them.

“Well, yeah –whatever man.”

He gulps.

“I want to know about the photographer –guy.” 

Why does this man ask him so many questions right after asking Hyuck to stop playing twenty-one questions?

“Yeah, his name and number.”

He should have bolted in the opposite direction when he saw that awful bowl cut years ago.

“Okay, so what’s his name, and give me his number too, I wanna ask him out.”

His friend is also losing his hearing –he’s aging terribly.

“I  _ said _ , I want to ask him out, you know the thing adults do when they want to get to know someone they think they could hit it off with.”

Donghyuck wishes the elder had a little more faith in him, but he isn’t going to be too butthurt about it. He’ll just take revenge in a more  _ constructive _ way.

“Jaehyun, I’m not looking for a quick fuck, I wouldn’t call you if that were the case, you’re actually the last person I’d go to for that  _ Mr. I’m in love with a tall ass dude who walks his poodle every morning by my window _ .”

“Look, you know more than anyone that I haven’t been actively looking for someone to settle down with, but Jae – _ my dude _ , I haven’t stopped thinking about him –and it’s been a week since the wedding. I think I’m going crazy, I feel like I’m being haunted, man.”

“Jaehyun, you pathetic bastard, if you can’t be of any help I’m hanging up, I have a shit ton of work waiting for me unlike your sorry ass.”

“What am I supposed to do with just his name?”

“I swear to god, Jaehyun, I’m this close to coming there and beating your ass, you absolute douchebag, and then I’ll call up Doyoung and tell him that you’re keeping me from being happily settled.” 

The man only ever has stupid things to say.

“What the fuck does that mean?!”

“For fuck’s sake, Jaehyun, please shut up before I take a scalpel and shove it down your throat  _ without _ sanitizing it.”

“Goodbye, Jae.”

He stays on his phone, and types into the Naver search engine the little information Jaehyun had bestowed upon him. 

He skims over the first link he clicks on,  _ Gardenia, flower shop, owner -Lee Jeno, timings: weekdays 8am to 10pm _ . 

He forgoes reading the rest, a whole new image of the brunette materializing in his mind, a literal  _ flower boy _ . It isn’t hard to imagine, a florist is indeed more befitting of the shy male. 

Donghyuck takes a screenshot of the directions to the shop, checking the time; it’s almost 3pm, and he has five more hours to work. 

It’s decided he thinks, locking his phone with an anxious smile gracing his lips, tonight he’ll pay a visit to _ Lee Jeno  _ the florist.

  
  


There’s just a bit over an hour left until he can turn the board hanging on the door from  _ open _ to  _ closed _ . He’s the only one left at the shop, having already sent home his two helpers for today. 

His small staff consisted of university or college students and he didn’t like keeping them for too long, knowing they have assignments to complete and books to procrastinate over. 

So, on days like these, when the flow of customers is slow, Jeno sets them free early. 

There aren’t many who come to buy flowers after 8pm, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t any people at all, and the ones that do, come to his shop because most other flower shops are closed at this time in the evening. Which is why, more often than not, Jeno closes shop during weekdays.

He’s holed up in the storage room at the back, moving a bunch of African violets from their nursery pots into hypertufa containers he purchased for the shop’s décor. 

If anyone comes in, the windchimes hung above the door will let out a pleasant tinkling sound loud enough to alert him. 

Now that he’s doing a task that depends more on muscle memory, he lets his mind wander, wander into depths of round, dark eyes. Whenever he thinks about his Jaehyun hyung’s friend, Jeno has to keep himself in check and shake the thoughts of the beyond handsome male, out of his brain. 

There is no way their paths would cross again. 

The florist is completely positive of this, he’s been an extremely close friend to Jaehyun for many years, and in all those years, never did he meet or even hear about the surgeon. 

A  _ surgeon _ , Jeno sighs, looking up for a moment and smiling dreamily, torturing the ceiling with his disgusting googly eyes. 

The man saves lives for a living (he isn’t sure about it but he knows the other at least tries to, that’s what doctors do, right?). That alone has Jeno’s heart skipping beats, and feeling the small itty-bit of attraction for the other male steadily blossom into something so big even a resin planter would be too small to contain it. 

Now that he’s over the most embarrassing moment of his life –he isn’t, he still hides his face in his palms out of shame at even the tiniest remembrance of the event, Jeno keeps recalling and  _ crying _ over how snug the other male’s arm felt around his waist. 

It was magical, but then again, the moment was fleeting, and now they’ll probably never meet again. 

Plus, the man is a freaking surgeon for crying out loud! He,  _ or at least his family _ , own so many hospitals. They’re like  _ bathing _ in money, Jeno made sure to do his research over the past few days. 

Why would such a rich, dashing, handsome man, with a white-collar job, who could probably have whomever he wanted with the snap of his finger, stoop down to a middle-class Jeno? 

Yes –he is educated, and yes –he has a job, one that he loves. But even thinking about himself, a man that frequently has soil marks covering some part of his skin, standing next to a polished man –it all seems like a distant dream. 

This isn’t a drama, it’s real life, and in real life, there are very few instances where two different people, from different social standings mingle- that too romantically. 

His smile drops, and now he looks back down to his hands, covered in dirt with a few smatterings all the way up to his elbows where the long sleeves of his lilac sweater are bunched up. 

He lets out a dejected sigh accompanied by a pout. The thoughts of the surgeon always end up like this, that’s why Jeno tries his best not to mull over the other too much.

He shakes his head hoping the impact chucks out all the thoughts related to the beautiful man. 

Just then he hears his phone let out a  _ ding _ , notifying him of a message just arriving. 

He wipes his right hand against the teal apron he’s wearing and fishes his phone out of the back pocket of his jeans.

It’s a message from his cousin, Doyoung hyung, and he clicks on the name to open up the chat.

He reads it, tilting his head with each sentence that flies over his head.

_ Don’t worry love, _

_ All of this is not a coincidence, _

_ We are totally different baby, _

_ The two of us found fate. _

Jeno reads over it twice and then one more time since third times a charm. But he remains absolutely confused. 

_ Why is hyung quoting Bangtan’s DNA? I thought he didn’t like them -wasn’t he all  _ **_EXO for life~_ ** _ , ha! Closeted Army.  _

He’s about to start typing a witty reply, a smug quirk to his lips, but then he hears the familiar song of the windchimes at the door, the metal rods knocking against one another, and it instantly catches his attention. 

Jeno quickly leaves his phone on top of a stack of perlite packets, fixing himself as much as he can with the back of his wrists, rushing to greet his customer. 

What Jeno never expected was to see the man of his wildest dreams standing in the middle of his shop. And yes, he’s had many of those dreams, do not get him started. 

He might look absolutely innocent at first glance even more so when he’s smiling. But if you look past his wide framed glasses, there’s much more hidden behind the sparkling childlike wonder in his eyes. 

However, there haven’t been many until now that Jeno has allowed to see that side of him, the only man he recently has found to be an eligible candidate just seemed so out of reach. 

Not so much anymore –like figuratively he still seems far, but the man himself isn’t that distant anymore, considering he’s standing right in front of the frozen brunette.

“Umm.” He helpfully supplies, and closes his mouth.

The man looks just as charming as he did on the wedding day (unfortunately not theirs), probably even more so. Actually definitely much more handsome. Jeno’s tongue is tied and his lips are involuntarily sealed. 

The surgeon is in form fitted gray slacks, a black turtleneck tucked inside the waistband, accentuating his narrow waist that spans into a broad chest. The black creates a perfect silhouette of his body, a sight much more than what is healthy for Jeno’s poor mind. To add to his misery, this  _ heathen _ of a surgeon has his sleeves rolled up to his elbow, much like the florist himself, but man, that golden skin has Jeno subjecting his inner turmoil onto the poor flesh of his bottom lip. 

“Umm, hey, I don’t know if you remember me?” 

Jeno successfully snaps out of his thoughts at the sound of the others voice, soft –a bit on the higher side, but like a soothing high, not a  _ please shut up my ears are bleeding _ high. 

He can’t seem to pick whether looking at his body was worse for his health, or his gorgeous face, suffering at the sight of those dark eyes, square jawline, and glistening lips. 

The brunette struggles, but keeps his gaze locked with the other’s despite it intimidating him. Enough ogling, it’s downright embarrassing if the other catches on to it. So Jeno, after much internal calming down –fixes his customer service smile onto his face.

“Y-yes,” he coughs, “I do -you’re Jaehyun hyung’s friend, right?” He tilts his head in question. 

The other man grins, the boyish expression making him appear a few years younger than he is. Jeno’s heart accelerates at the sight, but he stiffly stays put behind the counter that is both thankfully and  _ un-thankfully _ separating them. 

“Unfortunately, yes,” he jokes, and Jeno laughs softly, “we didn’t get to introduce ourselves at the wedding, and I wanted to thank the talented photographer who made my younger sister impossibly happy with the photos.” He smiles, nearing Jeno and resting his arms over the counter between them. 

Jeno melts on the inside at the flattery –he’s a weak man, and slightly fidgets bringing his hand up to lightly play with the strands of hair right above his ear –a nervous tick.

“Can I know the name of the person I owe my thanks to?” The other persists in the same charming fashion, and the brunette’s cheeks burn. 

He wants to slap himself for being absolutely dimwitted in front of the other.

“Lee Jeno, a-and you are?”

Of course, Jeno knows who he is, but hey, he’ll play along. The man doesn’t need to know that the second he returned from the wedding, he conducted a thorough research over him. Then proceeded to write a twenty-page essay, APA formatted, proving his thesis of why this man was perfect and most likely, not real. 

Yeah, Lee Donghyuck doesn’t need to know that.

“Donghyuck, Lee Donghyuck –you have a lovely name, Jeno-ssi.” 

Jeno needs life-support like right now, where is his lord and savior  _ Jaehyun hyung _ , when you need him.

“Oh –uhh, thank you, so do you?” 

His reply has the other man narrowing his large eyes at him, making him appear sharp and predatory, the corners of his lips, lifting into a smirk. 

Jeno thought the boyish grin was what was going to kill him, but he takes it back, being attacked by that smirk, he doesn’t think anyone would live if they were at the receiving end.

“Are you telling me I do, Jeno-ssi, or are you asking me if I do?” He pokes fun at him. 

The florist blanches, realizing that his compliment had indeed sounded like a question, and he shakes his head, his hair swaying this way and that, catching at the ends of his lashes.

“No,  _ no, _ Donghyuck-ssi, I’m telling you, of course.” His voice fades out at the end, and he sucks in his lip, the tips of his ears feeling hot when he sees the surgeon follow the movement then look away gulping. 

_ Is he okay? _

“Is there –something I could help you with? I mean do you need flowers? Umm, I mean this is a flower shop –so like is there something you’d like?” 

Jeno wants to smack himself in the face, probably run off into the storage room and not come back out till the other leaves. 

Why can’t he speak in front of this person, or more like form sentences and actually make sense with whatever is pouring out of his mouth –grammar, vocabulary, where are you? 

_ But like, was he really staring at my mouth? _

The other raises an eyebrow, smirk sewn back in place.

“That’s actually a lovely idea, Jeno—ssi, I reckon you’d know flowers by their meanings?” 

And finally, a  _ somewhat _ genuine smile graces Jeno’s face at the mention of flowers. This he can do, it’s what he’s always done, and just being in contact with them will hopefully ease him a little.

“Of course, it’s part of the job description, umm is—is there a particular message you’d like to convey through them?” He asks, moving out from behind the counter.

He walks right past the male, catching the same earthy scent and nearly swooning right there. He doesn’t though, thanks to the small part of him that wants his dignity to remain unharmed, and strides towards the flowers, grabbing a pair of scissors and a tray.

“Yes, well, I’ve just met this person, and I’d like to have them know I’m interested in them, and that I’d like to get to know them more -that I’m attracted to them I guess, oh, and probably something to tell them that I think they’re absolutely gorgeous.” 

With Donghyuck’s description, Jeno’s heart sinks, and there’s this uncomfortable twisting in the pit of his stomach, because what was he even thinking, obviously the other has someone he likes, or at least, hopes to like. 

As always, Jeno was foolish to think that the prince charming of his dreams (for the past week) would be available for him. Then again, he had reminded himself countless times in the span of seven days how absurd it was to think that he’d be a match for the other. 

Well, at least it was just a small crush, and now he can get over it before it blossoms into something else entirely. He’s glad Donghyuck was kind enough to come and indirectly reject him. 

Jeno can now finally close this tiny two-page chapter of his life, quickly and easily, because not much has happened, so there won’t be any memories to cry over while stuffing his face with ice cream. 

There won’t be much of Donghyuck to think about, in general. 

He isn’t fully invested in the other in any way, till now it was just _a_ _bit_ of physical attraction, and that comes and goes as life moves forward. 

Hopefully he’ll find someone new to set his eyes on, because if he’s being honest with himself for a moment, Donghyuck was just such a great –dream like candidate that yeah it’ll probably take him a good few weeks to stop imagining himself with the other in various romantic scenarios. 

So, with a slightly heavy heart -because the news is still fresh in his mind, he keeps walking forward, mentally recalling the meaning of each flower and plant he passes by. Donghyuck is trailing right after him silently, his dress shoes hitting the tiled floors as the only other sound in the quiet shop. 

Jeno goes around clipping off a variety of flowers so he could make the most beautiful bouquet for the lucky person the other is attracted to. After all the man is his Jaehyunie hyung’s best friend, it’s the least he could do.

Plus, Jeno also sees it as a way to redeem himself from the disaster he made of himself on the wedding day. This way Donghyuck will know that he excels in things other than tripping over nothing and falling flat on his ass. 

Once his tray is full and he’s gathered the flowers he thinks would help in expressing the other’s message, he moves back to his spot behind the counter, where he keeps the crepe paper and accessories for the bouquets. 

Donghyuck comes to stand in his previous place as well.

“Would you like to know what they mean?” He asks, when the silence becomes overbearing, picking up a stem with an orange flower at the end, the petals layered, looking nearly fake, almost like the crinkled paper he uses to wrap the flowers in.

“I’d love to know.” He hears the other say. 

Jeno keeps his eyes glued to the stems held delicately between his fingers, pulling his lips into a small smile to let the man know he heard him.

“This is called a Ranunculus, also known as Buttercup, a bouquet of these flowers symbolizes being dazzled by someone’s charms, but I often use them in bouquets individually, it still gets the message across for whoever knows the language of flowers.” He explains, picking up another flower from the heap on his tray; a deep, blood red in color.

When the man only hums in response to his explanation, Jeno continues on.

“These are known as Amaryllis, they represent beyond beauty or splendid beauty, and these ones” He goes on, reaching for a bunch of white flowers, curving upwards into a ball open in the center “are called white clover, they’re flowers you give to someone when you want them to think about you.” He puts them down, and lifts the fourth and last type of flower he’d chosen for this bouquet.

“This is a salvia, a blue salvia specifically, where the white clover tells the other person to think of you, the blue salvia will tell them that you think of them too.” 

Jeno wants to laugh as he assembles the bouquet. 

He always has had the tendency of landing himself in peculiar situations. Here he is now, creating a lovely bouquet by the request of his crush, just so said crush can go and give it to their crush. 

He would laugh out loud, and probably shed a tear or two, but he won’t, and can’t, not while being hyper aware of the surgeon’s steady gaze solely focused on him. 

“You’ve picked well, Jeno-ssi, all that I want to say to that person, it’s all in those flowers. You’re really passionate about flowers, aren’t you?”

This too Jeno can speak of easily, his love of plants, but he doesn’t want to bore the other with his geeky botany textbook jargon. 

He reaches behind him for some cream-colored crepe paper and the roll of royal blue satin ribbon. 

“It’s a big part of my life, Donghyuck-ssi. Would you like me to write a card with the flowers and their meanings for the –the person?” He stutters, and chances a glance up at the male, who’s gazing at him with the most gentle eyes anyone has ever looked at him with, his chiseled chin resting in the palm of his hand, and the other lying flat over the counter top.

“That won’t be necessary, Jeno-ssi, that person knows their flowers pretty well.” He replies with a wink, and Jeno gulps, struggling hard to keep himself from frowning, because  _ another _ flower enthusiast caught Lee Donghyuck’s attention,  _ wow _ . 

No, he isn’t jealous, envious maybe, but he’s not jealous, can’t be because jealousy means that the thing, or human in this case, is his, and that’s not the case at all. 

Lee Donghyuck isn’t his, so he’s a bit envious of this other plant fan, like who do they even think they are? It’s okay though, he tries to reason with himself, they’re probably rich and more compatible with the other anyway. 

“A~and we’re done, here you go, Donghyuck-ssi.” He says, passing the lovely, colorful bouquet to the other, over the counter, earning the same grin from earlier.

“It’s absolutely stunning, Jeno-ssi, is there something you can’t do, or are you excellent in everything you do?” He compliments, thankfully not looking at the blushing brunette, too busy with sniffing and prodding at the flowers.

“The list isn’t that long, Donghyuck-ssi.” He jokes with a half-hearted chuckle, ducking his head to hide his peachy cheeks.

The latter clicks his tongue.

“I doubt it, anyways, how much will it be?” He asks, pulling out a branded leather wallet from his pocket, and he begins to shake his head, determined to send the wallet back into the pocket it came from.

“There’s no way I could charge you, Donghyuck-ssi, you’re Jaehyunie hyung’s best friend, I couldn’t charge you even if I wanted to.”

“So, you  _ do _ want to charge me?” The surgeon teases with a wink, and  _ oh dear lord, _ why do the Gods insist on constantly testing Jeno.

“No –no, of course not! I’m just –” “—Jeno-ssi, I insist, please don’t make me use the  _ I’m older than you _ card.” 

The brunette wrings his fingers together, agitated, he chews on his lip again, and  _ again _ Donghyuck looks down to his mouth with a furrow between his brows,  _ why does he do that _ , maybe he doesn’t like people biting their lips. 

His teeth leave the plush surface, and he licks over his lips, soothing the slight sting. The other’s eyes flick between his mouth and eyes again. He immediately leaves his mouth alone, still unaware of why the man keeps doing that.

“Okay, okay, just this once Donghyuck-ssi, that’ll be twenty-five thousand won.” 

The man hands over the money with a triumphant grin the brunette tries to ignore, focusing on cashing the money into the register instead.

Before Jeno can open his mouth to bid goodbye to Jaehyun hyung’s friend, the other speaks.

“I have one last favor to ask you, may I?” Ever the gentleman, Donghyuck questions, and how could he ever refuse those endless pools of black that twinkle at him, as if they hold a secret and want Jeno to know.

Jeno is weary, but doesn’t want to show that he is, so he readily agrees while freaking out internally.

“Of course, what can I do for you?” 

“Well for starters, can you come over here, like in front of me?” 

_ Is he going to punch me in the face _ , is the first thing that passes through his unhelpful mind for whatever reason, but he complies, his limbs visibly displaying his hesitation. 

“Is there something wrong?” He asks though he’s afraid of being answered with a  _ yes _ . 

He comes to stand before the other, leaving a few steps to maintain a healthy distance.

“Nothing’s wrong Jeno-ssi, I’d just like to give the bouquet to its rightful owner.” Donghyuck states, extending his hand out, encouraging Jeno to take it from him.

Jeno doesn’t. 

Jeno just blinks his eyes at him a few times.

“Umm -what?” He says, his gaze hastily flitting between the bouquet and Donghyuck’s face, that looks awfully pleased and excited.

“The flowers are for you, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you since the day I saw you, I’d like to get to know you, if that’s okay with you.” 

For the first time ever, since the charming Lee Donghyuck stepped into his beloved shop, the man seems slightly uncertain. His grin is broad across his face, but his brows are coming together in worry, it’s kind of adorable.

But Jeno really can’t come out of his thoughts, the person he was jealous of, or well envious of, was _ himself _ ? 

Donghyuck had been telling him to make a bouquet for  _ himself? _

Donghyuck has been thinking about him?! Even after he fell in front of his face and made a huge fool out of himself, and even now, when he probably has dirt smudged on his face somewhere, and definitely on his hands and arms? 

The man is still offering the bouquet to  _ him? Lee Jeno? AND -he thinks I’m absolutely gorgeous?! _

“Jeno-ssi?” He hears a soft voice call for him –unsure, and the brunette flutters his lashes to clear up the blurry film covering his eyes, gulping and nodding slightly, to let the other know he has his full attention.

But Donghyuck just gestures between them, at the flowers, and Jeno’s eyes widen, just now realizing that the man probably had his arm hanging out like that for quite some time. 

He splutters a bit, finally taking the bouquet in his fumbling hands, and holds it close to his chest, right under his chin. His eyes wide and fixed on Donghyuck.

The man ruffles the back of his hair, and looks away for a moment before fixing his sight on Jeno again.

“So –would you like to go out with me sometimer?” He asks, still a bit hesitant, and the brunette can’t understand for the life of him why this man is suddenly being so shy about asking  _ him _ such a thing.

“Yes! of course, Donghyuck-ssi, I mean –I think that would be nice.” He nods, obliviously squeezing the flowers to his chest even more, the stems bending under the force of his grip. 

“Well, I hope my intentions are clear then?” He questions, and Jeno nods his head, a bit too much, afraid if he opens his mouth he’ll say something stupid again.

He’s graced with a blinding smile -all teeth and cute dimple on his right cheek. The brunette melts, his own grin splitting across his face, he really couldn’t stop it from forming, his heart feels so fluttery all of a sudden, he doesn’t even realize he’s crumpling the flowers in his tight hold.

The surgeon’s eye’s widen for a split second -something akin to awe present in his gaze, before his smile becomes soft, and his eyes gleam with a gentleness that has Jeno’s heart pounding in his head.

“Can we exchange numbers, so we can set a place and time for our date?”

“ _ Date _ .” Jeno breathes, still unbelieving of everything that’s happening currently.

“Yes, a  _ date, _ Jeno-ssi.” Donghyuck says through a set of amused chuckles.

Jeno lowers his head sheepishly, it’s not his fault he can’t handle a gorgeous man asking him out, and that too without a warning,  _ like how disrespectful _ .

“I don’t have my phone on me, so I’ll just give you my number instead.” He doesn’t add that getting Donghyuck’s number would be of no use because no way in hell would  _ he _ be the one to initiate a conversation.

The other types in Jeno’s number as he recites it out loud, feeling extremely proud that he didn’t mess up or stutter over the digits. 

“I’ll message you, and we can figure out where and when to meet, hopefully soon as possible.” Donghyuck says, slowly walking towards the exit with the florist in tow. 

“I hope so too.” He mumbles, glancing up at the other through the thick curtain of his lashes.

The man rests his palm against the door, exerting enough force for it to open the slightest bit, before turning back to Jeno, his gaze lingers over his face for a few seconds, as if soaking up the sight of him, it has him burn impossibly red, and then he meets his eyes.

“You know, Jeno-ssi, you’re undeniably gorgeous, _absolutely_ _ethereal_.” He states with a wink, and before Jeno can even form words, or keep his mouth from hanging open unattractively, the male is gone. 

The song of the bells chiming above his head ringing loudly throughout the shop.

  
  
  


The second Donghyuck gets into his car, that’s parked further down the road, away from the beautiful,  _ beautiful, beautiful _ male’s shop, he bangs his head against the steering wheel, the Mercedes logo most probably leaving an imprint on his forehead. 

Then he dials Jung Jaehyun, who as always –ever the call center operator, picks up on the first ring.

“Jaehyun. you. bastard.” He seethes into the phone, earning a string of expletives from his best friend at the sudden insult.

“You didn’t bother to tell me!” He yells into the phone, his eyes wide and voice cracking unattractively –thankfully it didn’t happen in front of Jeno.

The other male asks him what it was that he forgot to mention.

“You didn’t care to tell me that HE HAS THE CUTEST BEAUTY SPOT RIGHT ON TOP OF HIS CHEEK, I THOUGHT WE WERE FRIENDS JAEHYUN.”

The call cuts, and all he hears is a constant beep.

Jaehyun that asshole. Some great friend he is.

  
  


Once Jeno had calmed himself down, drank a litre of water, and closed the shop up front, he takes his phone and unlocks it. The screen opens up to Doyoung’s message, and he reads it again, and again, and again, and then he shrieks with disbelief. 

His cousin knew! He knew all along! He swipes his thumb over  _ Doyoungnie Hyung _ , and waits for the other to answer. 

He paces the length of the storage room, narrowly missing a clay pot he could have kicked over and made a huge mess with, his nerves going haywire because good lord, he and Lee Donghyuck are going to go out on a date,  _ and hopefully more after that _ .

And he thinks he may have been set up.

The line is answered and before his cousin can get a word in, Jeno is yelling into the phone.

“Hyung! You knew! You knew! I can’t believe you were quoting bangtan songs at me -but oh gosh you knew! And you didn’t even warn me! I hate you!” 

All he gets in return is a loud laugh and then a never-ending beep.

_ Why are old people always so rude?! _


	3. Daydreaming, bed scenes in the corner café

**Unknown:**

Jeno-ssi, this is Donghyuck

Hopefully the only Donghyuck in your life at the moment.

Jeno’s heart falls out of his ass; he chokes over the sweet and scalding hot, french vanilla cappuccino he was inhaling.

“What’s wrong? You okay?” Jaehyun asks, gathering a bunch of tissues to wipe at the traumatized brunette’s chin.

The elder’s hand is shoved away and he’s fixed with a harsh glare.

“What?”

Jeno sighs, running a hand through his hair before face planting against the table’s hard surface.

“Jaehyunie hyung, your friend is such a sweet talker, I feel like I’m in both hell and heaven at the same time, and it’s killing me.” He groans into the wood.

While he’s wistfully rubbing his face against the unhygienic cafe table, the elder picks up the florist’s discarded phone and keys in the passcode to unlock it. The sight that greets him has him gagging. 

Continuing to use the younger’s phone, he clicks the name so he can call the _unknown_ number.

The call’s received almost immediately, and Jaehyun feels offended. His bastard of a friend never answers his calls -he texts him a few days later asking him why he called.

Unbelievable, but at the same time very believable; anyone would be this whipped for his beautiful baby.

“You asshole!” He shouts into the phone, ignoring the startled public sitting around them in the once, peaceful cafe.

Even Jeno’s head snaps up from where he was mourning the loss of his sanity. He eyes the elder with suspicion, but his look is answered with a wide dimpled grin.

“Yeah, this is Jaehyun, you little bitch -stop _harassing_ my baby-”

Jeno immediately scoots his chair back and reaches over the table, almost climbing it and sending their drinks off to the ground. No disaster happens thankfully, he saves it at the last minute before snatching his phone out of his evil hyung’s clutches.

“ _Donghyuck-ssi!_ I’m so sorry for that!” Jeno nearly screams into the phone, eliciting a sweet laugh from the person on the other end of the line.

_“It’s okay, Jeno-ssi, no worries, I’m used to that idiot just as much as you are.”_

He lets out a giggle in return, that turns into a glare aimed at the man sitting across from him, who’s being a child and making kissy faces at him.

 _“I wanted to ask you what days you’re free, so we can set up a date.”_

Jeno’s cheeks feel hot at the reminder and he hurriedly glances at his hyung in front of him, and the knowing look on the other’s face is enough for him to ask Donghyuck if they could speak about this through texts.

“Jaehyun hyung is listening in on us and being highly weird in general right now, so –that’s why I don’t wanna –you know?” 

Donghyuck complies to the brunette’s request within a heartbeat, and tells him to message him whenever he disposes of the six-foot leech attached to his side. 

Even after the phone call ends, Jeno has a huge smile plastered across the width of his face. 

“You and Donghyuck should have just had your marriage ceremony at the church along with his sister’s.” 

Jeno throws a balled-up napkin at Jaehyun, all the while trying to fight off the blush painting the apples of his cheeks.

  
  


**Donghyuck-ssi:**

Jeno-ssi, this is Donghyuck

Hopefully the only Donghyuck in your life at the moment.

**You:**

Donghyuck-ssi, I’ve finally disposed of your best friend ☺️☺️

And...yes you are the only Donghyuck in my life at the moment 😊

Jeno buries his face into his pillow, letting out a high-pitched squeal that’s muffled by the blue cotton, wriggling his whole body like a worm –laying on his stomach. 

He really needs to learn how to control himself, he’s only talking to a man after all, _big deal_. 

His phone buzzes in his hand and he fumbles with the device before propping himself up on his elbows, and unlocking his screen.

**Donghyuck-ssi:**

You’ve put my heart at ease, I don’t like having competition Jeno-yah.

Is it okay if we drop the formalities?

I’d like to be more comfortable with you.

Jeno starts chewing his lip, trying to keep himself from grinning like a lovesick fool. He rolls onto his back, holding the phone above his face, hair spread across his fluffy pillow like a halo.

**You:**

That’s completely fine with me ☺️☺️

But uhh what shall I call you then? 🤔🤔

**Donghyuck-ssi:**

Just Donghyuck or Hyuck is fine with me

I’d prefer to hear it as such, from you.

A sound leaves Jeno’s throat, a sound he’s never heard before in his entire life, it sounded like a mix between a whale, hyena, and maybe a cow? He hopes he never makes that noise again.

**Donghyuck:**

So what days are you free?

**You:**

Well my official days off are on saturday and sundays

🤔🤔

But making the other days of the week available 

Isn’t that hard 😊😊

**Donghyuck:**

Well I’m free on saturdays too,

that should be good for the two of us

Right?

**You:**

Yup! That’s completely fine

What time should we meet? 🥺🥺

**Donghyuck:**

I’m okay with any time of the day to be honest

So you can pick if you’d like

**You:**

Well, even I’m okay with any time 😌😌

So you can pick 😊 

**Donghyuck:**

Wow, I didn’t know I’d find someone cute through a text message

But there’s a first time for everything right

How does 6pm sound, I’ll pick you up, if that’s alright?

That weird noise escapes his open mouth yet again.

**You:**

😳😳😳  
Umm, 6pm is fine, and it’s okay, I can come on my own

I wouldn’t want to inconvenience you ☹️☹️

**Donghyuck:**

You could possibly never be an inconvenience to me Jeno

6pm it is then 

you can send me your address later

**You:**

I will Donghyuck 😊

And thank you 🥺🥺

**Donghyuck:**

No need to thank me 

See you this saturday

Good night Jeno

**You:**

Good night Donghyuck 😴✨

  
  


Jaehyun is rudely awoken by the loud, incessant ringing of his phone. The name displayed on the screen makes him want to chuck the piece of technology outside his window and somehow magically hit the caller on his thick skull –or maybe where the sun doesn’t shine. He isn’t picky.

“ _Lee Donghyuck,_ are you aware of the fucking time?!”

The man affirms that he indeed is aware of the time.

“Are you fucking kidding me? Couldn’t this wait till tomorrow?”

Apparently not.

“Don’t take him to an overly fancy place, it’ll make him uncomfortable, he likes less crowded places, so a cafe or something should be good, bring him a bouquet of sunflowers, they’re his favorite, now let me sleep.” 

He hangs up before the other can answer.

He’s two steps away from falling into a deep sleep when his phone goes off another time, and he answers his phone without looking at the name.

“Lee fucking Donghyuck I swear to go— _baby?_ What happened? You okay? Do you need me to come over?”

His sweet boy declines instantly.

“You sure? Then why aren’t you asleep? Should I come over? Do you wanna cuddle?”

He can’t help but worry for the sullen boy.

“ _Jeno-yah_ , you don’t need to do anything to impress him, you hear me? Just be your lovely self, that’s more than enough to get him wrapped around your finger.”

He just wants to bundle him up in a blanket, sing him a lullaby, and watch over him as he sleeps –in a non-creepy way.

“Baby, trust me, you don’t need to do _anything_ , he’s already much more whipped for you than he lets on, it’s actually a bit embarrassing how much of a fool he is for you.” 

It’s disgusting. But he’s not going to say that to the soft boy.

“I’m not joking, and I’m not half-asleep, I’ve never seen him chase after somebody so actively, I’ve never seen him get nervous over someone, and we’ve been friends for a _long_ time, like I’m saying more than like, two decades.”

He thinks he’d have more brain cells left if it weren’t that long.

“Just be yourself, okay? At the wedding you didn’t put up any front, he’s attracted to _Lee Jeno,_ the beautiful man that tripped over air and fell on his ass.”

He’s ears are assaulted by disgruntled whining, but it’s okay since the younger is so adorable.

“He still came after you didn’t he?”

A little more incoherent grumbling.

“Are you assured now? Be your beautiful self, baby, no need to fake anything okay?”

Jeno gives in as he always does, and Jaehyun is happy that he’s able to soothe the brunette’s worries.

“Alright, good, now go to sleep, okay? don’t think so much about it, he’s Lee Donghyuck for god’s sake, nothing special.”

His remark is strongly opposed to and he clicks his tongue.

“Wow, you’re just as whipped as him, aren’t you?”

He stares at his phone, the blank screen showing him that his baby hung up on him.

He shrugs, happy that at least now he can finally go back to sleep.

His phone rings again, and he picks it up, just as he did before.

“Yeah, baby?”

_“Eww what the fuck Jaehyun, why the fuck are you calling me baby that’s fucking gross man-”_

He lifts the phone off his ear and stabs the _end call_ button with his thumb, and then just as aggressively, shuts his phone off completely, finally snuggling into his comforter.

“Fuck you, Lee Donghyuck.”

  
  


Donghyuck is about two seconds away from killing himself. 

Never in his whole entire life has he gotten this worked up over a date, and never in his whole entire life has he searched naver for _first date ideas_. 

His hair is a tangled mess atop his head, courtesy of running his fingers through it countless times, at one point he pulled his strands out of pure frustration and it hurt like a bitch and now he has a terrible headache. 

He’s lounging in his living room, sitting in the middle of his black leather three-seater with his laptop placed on his thighs, and his legs extended out to rest on the glass center table. He has the TV turned on so there’s something to replace the silence in the background. 

It’s friday night, and it’s only been an hour since he got back from work, he still has his grey slacks on, his shirt and tie discarded almost immediately after entering his home. 

He hasn’t even bothered eating yet, the nervous jitters keeping him from having much of an appetite. Donghyuck, for the love of all things holy and beautiful (Lee Jeno), cannot understand why this is happening to him. 

He has been on numerous _first dates_ in the span of his 32 years of living, and he’s felt everything but nervous. This is his first time and really why is he feeling like this? 

Beginnings are always annoying, Donghyuck thinks, not knowing much about the other. It’s hard to decide what to do, where to go, what to eat, especially since he really wants the brunette to enjoy himself. So picking a place that may put off the younger, actually terrifies the surgeon. 

Him being terrified of something like this, is what annoys Donghyuck even more. Why is he being so affected by this? 

It’s a first date, they both know close to nothing about one another, so if he were to make a mistake somewhere, it would be understandable. And he knows, or at least has a gut feeling, that the person he’s going out with will be more than just understanding. 

After all, Jeno looks like he’s the end product of all good things mixed together. 

Donghyuck sighs dreamily, a smile tugging at his lips when he remembers his encounter with the florist. The man literally has a mole on the top of cheek, if that doesn’t scream _privileged angel from heaven_ , then he doesn’t know what does. His chocolate colored hair had been tousled into fluff, and there was a small smudge of soil right on the swell of his cheek. 

He had looked nothing less than premium A-grade cuddle material. Donghyuck had shamelessly started imagining their future right in front of the male while he’d been making that gorgeous bouquet. 

_They’d live in a two story villa with a large backyard so Jeno could grow a garden for himself, plant whatever flower he wished. Donghyuck would come back from work at the hospital, yelling out a “honey, I’m home!” and he’d hear Jeno’s distant voice reply “welcome back, Hyuckie! I missed you!” and he’d follow the beautiful sound to find him in a red apron, dirt covering parts of his fair skin, and when he’d look up at Donghyuck, he’d smile softly at him with that mesmerizing rosy hue covering his cheeks. Then Donghyuck would lean down to where the younger would be sitting, and leave a love-filled kiss on his forehead._

The whole scenario was perfect and heartwarming, absolutely, sickeningly domestic. 

Then the brunette had dutifully snapped him out of his daydream with the bouquet thrusted into his hold. 

But that isn’t even half of it, the things Jeno does with his mouth. 

Donghyuck groans into the air. 

Like, he can’t even feel ashamed or sorry for thinking the things he was thinking of when Jeno kept sucking the supple looking flesh into his mouth and chewing on it, or just pressing his teeth onto the swell of his lip and then having the audacity to look up at him through his thick, long ass lashes. 

Like wow _you’re like a porcelain doll -are you even real_ , but at the same _I’m thinking of bending you over this counter and making your heart beat through your ass_ , (he did specialize in the heart after all). 

He felt very offended because single handedly, this man falls into his life –literally, and now Lee Donghyuck isn’t the 32 year-old, mature man doctor he is supposed to be. Instead he’s dropped down to hormonal teenager Donghyuck who is struggling to keep his heart in his chest, and dick in his pants. 

To further prove his theory, now he’s getting nervous over a date. 

Jaehyun hadn’t been of _much_ help, all he knows is that he has to get a bouquet of sunflowers because they’re the brunette’s favorite. How befitting of the radiant male, he ponders. 

Donghyuck has the sudden urge of meeting the younger’s parents, not to ask for his hand in marriage or anything hasty like that, but just to see which two human beings swung naked from a chandelier to create the perfect being that is Lee Jeno. 

The perfect being that apparently isn’t too fond of crowds, a thing they both have in common Donghyuck giddily notes in his mind. 

They’re practically soulmates at this point. 

With this piece of information, _okay maybe Jaehyun was a bit helpful_ , Donghyuck thinks he can probably take him to his favorite cafe. It’s a small hipster joint near the outskirts of Seoul, not many people live around there and so the customers are usually people travelling in and out of the city who don’t bother staying at the shop, opting instead to take their caffeine fix for the road. 

The drive’s a bit long and that’s why Donghyuck seldom goes there himself, but he thinks the lengthy commute may work in their favor, more time to get to know each other, and the coffee in general is just great. 

There’s also a national park in the same vicinity, so maybe after the cafe, they could head down there, talk some more and just appreciate nature together. 

Donghyuck really hasn’t ever done that himself but Jeno _is_ a florist, it’s probably in his blood to admire what mother-earth has to offer. As for Donghyuck, there’s a first time for everything, right? 

He can feel himself becoming a better man already, and they haven’t even officially started dating yet. 

Absolutely mind-blowing.

This just confirms that pursuing Jeno was the right thing to do.

Cafe and national park sound good to him. They can keep the exciting stuff for later, their priority right now should be getting to know each other better, so a long chat should be the practical thing to do. 

Also, Donghyuck has a question for the younger he feels very important to address. 

He’s noticed Jeno seems to get overly nervous around him, even through text, (how he could tell even he doesn’t know but it’s a feeling) and where that sort of reassures Donghyuck, that he isn’t the only one freaking out, at the same time, he wishes for the brunette to be comfortable with him, and not so _on edge_. 

It makes him think on end, is it something he’s done, or is Jaehyun filling his innocent mind with filth against him that in turn scares Jeno. 

Who knows, but that is why he makes a mental note to ask him, in bold, italicized letters, going to the length of underlining it too. 

Finally, the cardiologist breathes out in relief, ridding of the burden that sat heavy on his shoulders. He has something planned and it isn’t that bad either, hopefully the younger will enjoy it too.

He shuts his laptop and moves it off his lap, setting it onto the seat beside him, he stands, stretching out his limbs and cracking his stiff joints in his arms and back. 

Hunger hits him like it never has before and he hurries to the kitchen, time to inhale a few packets of ramyun.

If only his patients knew how healthy their doctor was.

As he’s slurping on his fourth bowl of instant noodles, a large smile splits across his face. 

After _so long_ he’s going out, and that too with _probably_ (he only has a select number of encounters to base his assumption on this particular thought) the most endearing person he’s ever met.

He can’t wait to see what tomorrow will bring.

  
  
  


It’s 12pm, and it’s saturday, and Jeno is two and a half seconds away from losing his shit.

Donghyuck had messaged him last night, like quite late at night, moving their meeting time from 6pm to a bit earlier in the day. Now he was going to pick Jeno up around 3pm and well, there are only three hours left and the brunette doesn’t even know what he’s going to wear. 

But that, surprisingly, isn’t the problem. He actually has greater _problems_ than that _._ Two of them to be specific. They come in the form of _homo sapiens_ that have taken an oath to breathe down his neck and treat him like a two-year old who wears diapers and drinks a bottle of chocolate flavored pediasure to sleep.

Kim Doyoung and Jung Jaehyun. 

He appreciates them immensely, loves them the most, right after his parents and grandparents, and knows he cannot live without them. They are a crucial part to his life and he can’t even begin to imagine one without them in it.

Having said that, he also prefers to deal with them _separately_. 

The two problems, as Jeno is currently calling them, are his best friends and have been for the longest of time. Which is why he can’t understand for the life of him, how they’ve managed to stay friends for more than an eternity when both contradict each other whenever the opportunity presents itself. 

If Doyoung says black, Jaehyun says white, if Doyoung wants chinese food, Jaehyun wants Mediterranean, if Doyoung wants to get drunk off his ass, Jaehyun wants a chocolate milkshake with whipped cream and a cherry on top. 

The point is, they never agree with each other, and at those times, it’s usually Jeno that has to play as the last vote, and he usually sides with Jaehyun because they like similar things. But every once in a while he’ll go along with Doyoung, so he doesn’t feel like he loves him less. 

It’s just that, his older cousin is a bit on the wild side, and well, Jeno has a comfort zone he rarely toes out of.

As of now, the two men seem like they’re about to battle it out, right in front of his salad, like literally. He was hungry but didn’t want to overstuff himself and then not be able to eat with Donghyuck, so he opted to have something light, so salad it was. 

But the situation was very quickly getting out of hand, even so, Jeno did nothing to get the other men to leave each other’s collars, or bring the fists down that were raised to strike. 

He just continued to munch on the cucumber in his mouth, staring at the scene unfolding in front of him with mild interest and a lot of simmering irritation. 

If only they could agree on one option, or just leave Jeno to decide for himself. 

The conflict at hand was Jeno’s outfit and appearance. 

What shall he wear? 

How should he do his hair? 

Should he put some makeup on?

The brunette will admit that he hadn’t bothered too much with fretting over what to wear and all that. Only because he knows that no matter how much he may get worked up about this particular issue, he’ll eventually end up wearing something he’s most comfortable in. 

Which also means he would probably forego the makeup since he isn’t too fond of how it feels on his skin. 

Apparently his cousin and best friend knew that too. 

At 11am sharp, while he was lounging on his couch, grinning over his and Donghyuck’s texts like the smitten little man he is, he heard the sound of his front door opening. Then his ears were graced with the low sound of Doyoung’s loud voice calling out to him, telling him his favorite cousin had arrived to make him look like a whole thirteen course meal for his date.

Roughly after about half an hour, while Jeno was busy fighting off Doyoung and the black leather pants he was shoving in his face, he heard his front door open and close again. This time Jaehyun’s voice reached his ears, his ‘ _baby? where’s my baby?!’_ feeling like a godsend at that moment. 

When the other male walked into the living room –dragging in a large duffel bag behind him that nobody knew the contents of. Jeno had quickly side-stepped his cousin, screaming out a _save me, Jaehyunie hyung_ and gone to hide in the open arms that had immediately held him protectively against a sturdy chest. The protector narrowing his eyes at the eldest in the room. 

There had been a whole argument once Doyoung voiced his intentions, and now it’s evolved into _this_. 

Doyoung holding Jaehyun by his collar, his face completely red with anger, and well the other basically appearing as the split image of the former.

And Jeno is now chewing on a carrot. 

What Doyoung wants, is for his younger cousin to blow off Donghyuck’s socks, and perhaps something else too, _*wink wonk*._

He presented Jeno with black leather pants, that will accentuate the shape of his long legs. He paired that up with a loose white silk dress shirt, ordering him to tuck it into the waistband of the pants, but then puff it out and make it look baggy, also to keep the first three buttons open so the neckline shifts between showing too much chest area and threatening to fall off a shoulder. Then he wanted Jeno to put a _bit_ of foundation on his face, line his eyes with brown eyeliner, and to add a bit of rouge to his lips. 

Jeno relentlessly reminded him that he was going on a date with Donghyuck; he was not on his way to give him a lap dance in a VIP room of a bougie stripclub. Doyoung wasn’t going to have any of it though, that was until Jaehyun had burst in like a knight in shining armour -with a suspicious duffel bag –and Jeno’s hope in his first date had been restored.

Jaehyun, as the younger had expected, kept on dismissing Doyoung’s _brilliant_ ideas for the brunette’s outfit. 

Jaehyun said no to the leather pants –he shouldn’t wear something that tight on the first date. It’ll evoke feelings of lust rather than love and their purpose is not to get the florist laid, _well it is_ , but they’re mainly trying to get him hitched. Getting laid will naturally follow. 

Second he said no to the loose baggy shirt with too much skin showing, again for the same reason. Then he’d proceeded to get even more passionate and forceful against Jeno wearing makeup. He had squeezed Jeno’s face between his hands, –barbarically because the strength made his jaw pain, turning it towards the eldest male and asking him why he’d _ever_ –in his right mind –want to cover up perfection. 

And well now, they’re both fighting, still fighting. 

Doyoung keeps accusing Jaehyun of making him look bad in front of his baby brother, and the other keeps replying that _he doesn’t_ _have to make him look bad_ , he’s doing just fine himself.

Jeno, he’s still eating his salad, it’s about to finish though, and the youngest really hopes his Jaehyunie hyung comes out as the victor. He really doesn’t want his lower regions to suffocate within the confines of tight, uncomfortable, leather pants. 

He checks the time on his phone, only fifteen minutes have passed. He sighs loudly, and the two men dueling it out snap their heads towards him, staring down at him.

“What?” He asks, eyes wide and shrugging his shoulders.

“You pick.” They both say at the same time.

 _He hates this so much_ , he wants to go with what Jaehyun hyung said, but at the same time he doesn’t want to hurt Doyoung hyung, the man is trying to help him after all. 

But leather pants just aren’t him, at least not on Saturday afternoon dates. 

He wants to agree with both of them, but as long as Doyoung sticks to the equivalent of jail for legs, he’ll have to turn him down, something he wishes to avoid.

So, he opts to negotiate. 

“ _Doyoungie hyung~_ can’t you choose something other than leather pants, _please hyungie,_ they cutoff the blood flow in my legs.” He bats his eyelashes at his cousin, jutting his lips out into a heart wrenching pout. 

Right before his large brown eyes, he sees the elder crumbling –melting into a pool of _I’ll bring you the moon and stars if you want_ –at his feet. 

Doyoung, within seconds disappears into Jeno’s room, leaving the other two with a shout of, _I’ll find something else!_

But his cousin’s best friend doesn’t trust him, so he tails after him, yelling out orders. 

_Shouldn’t show too much skin! Jeno should be comfortable in it! Jeno, why the fuck are there booty shorts in your drawer?!_

_Oops –_ Jeno thinks, they weren’t supposed to see that, _oh well_ he shrugs, stabbing a piece of tomato with his fork.

After realizing that there is a lot of shit in his room he wouldn’t want his hyungs to find or for them to know that he _knows_ about _these things_ , he follows them into his room. 

Doyoung literally has his whole closet emptied out across his room, and the brunette feels his eye twitch –but before he can scream at the elder, Doyoung assures him that he’ll clean the mess up.

After much more quarrelling and a few near death experiences for all three of them, they settle on a pair of light distressed jeans, along with a blue and white striped casual dress shirt. 

Doyoung had literally, with his own two hands, tucked the shirt into the waistband of Jeno’s jeans, saying it would emphasize the dip of his waist and the _tiny_ swell of both his thighs and ass. All the while ignoring Jaehyun’s insolent yells of _my baby is not taking a step out of this house with those jeans on his legs_! 

The eldest male had promptly turned around and yelled back in his friend’s face _there has to be some amount of sex appeal, Jaehyun! And if he can’t walk out of this house with these pants on, then he’s walking out with no pants at all! You fucking hear me?!_

Jeno had choked on his spit and coughed up a lung. Hence, near death experience.

Very discreetly, he had untucked the shirt himself. 

At least Jaehyun somewhat won the makeup part. Acting as a physical barrier between the two cousins as the younger did the bare minimum to look better than a dolled-up runway model. All Jeno applied was some moisturizer to his face and crimson tinted lip balm to his lips, making his skin feel and appear soft and lips looking glossy and plump. He didn’t bother with eyeliner, he was blessed with a dark pair of lashes that naturally gave off the impression of his eyes being tight-lined. 

He was finally done after running a comb through his silky hair. 

The whole process – **read:** Doyoung and Jaehyun fighting like wild boars and Jeno watching attentively because animal planet was his favorite channel, had taken quite a long time. 

Now it was almost 3pm and Jeno’s nerves were throwing an impromptu party that the florist wasn’t quite enjoying. 

Jaehyun was sitting beside him, talking to him about _the birds and the bees_ , consequently, the brunette kept tuning him out, lost in his thoughts about the handsome man who could be at his doorstep at any given moment. 

_He can’t wait, he’s so excited!_

“—And just remember, no getting laid on the first date, I didn’t raise you that way, and if he does somehow end up luring you into his bed, just go to sleep okay, no need to humor him –” 

“—Jaehyunie hyung, I’m an adult! I’ve been on many dates before, I have had sexual intercourse before too –all of which _you know_ , why must I hear this talk again for like the thousandth time in my life?” He asks, squeezing Jaehyun’s arm to his chest and swaying them left to right, where they’re sitting on the loveseat. 

Doyoung is passed out on the longer couch, snoring up a thunderstorm, having said something about doing too much work, being too young to raise a 28 year-old, and old age getting to him. 

Not necessarily in that order. 

Just then, his phone chimes, notifying him of a message, and he hurriedly picks it up, _almost_ shoving Jaehyun off him and the couch. 

The name displayed on the screen brings a smile to his lips without much effort, and he quickly opens the text. What he reads pulls a few giggles from his lips, as he stands and makes his way to the front door, where he slips on a pair of white sneakers. 

**Donghyuck:**

I see Jaehyun’s and Doyoung’s cars in the parking lot

I don’t want to ruin my day by seeing them

Please come down to me instead Jeno-yah

**You:**

😂😂😂  
Alrightyy!! I’ll be right there! 😊😊

He shuts his phone off, tucking it into his back pocket. 

He unlocks the door and throws it open, ready to leave, but just as he’s about to step out, there’s a heavy hand landing on his shoulder whipping him around to come face to face with his cousin’s grinning face. 

He looks horrifying.

“Hyung!”

“Not so fast little one.”

“Weren’t you asleep?!”

“Yes, but now I’m _awake_.” 

Jeno stares at him, because Doyoung is cracking up in front of him, but he doesn’t understand why.

Jeno is about to tell him off, but then he hears Jaehyun let out a scream into the air, just a scream, no words or anything comprehendible. 

He’s aggressively rummaging through the huge duffel bag he had lugged into his apartment, and Jeno really just wants to leave.

“Found it!” 

He hears Jaehyun yell again, and then he’s bounding towards the door where Jeno is standing with Doyoung who still hasn’t stopped laughing at whatever he found humorous. 

“Okay, come on, baby.” Jaehyun orders, toeing his shoes on, and the eldest does the same, confusing the brunette who doesn’t budge at all, even when the two elders are standing outside his home.

“What do you mean _come on_?” He frowns.

The two pull him out by either hand, closing the door shut, hearing the click of the automatic lock, and then walking him to the elevator.

“We’re taking you downstairs, what else? You think we’d let you go into the hands of that heathen all by yourself.” 

“Are you guys even friends?” He questions, starting to have serious doubts with all the vulgarity they subject each other to.

“Of course, we are, we would have been like that with you too but you’re just way too adorable to be an ass to.” Jaehyun answers, entering the elevator, with Jeno and Doyoung following behind him.

“You guys _no_! Go away this is so embarrassing! Omigosh you have to leave!” Jeno exclaims, trying to pull his hands out of their strong grips. 

He feels his cheeks burn and he keeps tugging at his arms, and when the other two just stare straight ahead, Doyoung having the audacity to start whistling, the brunette deflates, knowing it was a lost cause.

“I feel like it’s my first day of kindergarten and my parents are walking me to the bus stop.” 

When they exit the building, Jeno’s hands are still clasped between the other two respectively; he sees Donghyuck at the end of the footpath and promptly looks down with his cheeks flaming a deeper red, for a couple of reasons. 

Reason number 1. Lee Donghyuck is fine as hell. 

To elaborate on this factual statement, Jeno has to express how badly he wanted to drool at the sight of the older man. 

He seemed so _chic_ , leaning against his slick black audi, arms crossed over his chest, exuding an aura of calm defiance. 

He was wearing something Jeno would have never imagined in even his wildest of dreams to associate with someone he’s always seen in a posh tux, or a crisp dress shirt with slacks (he forgets they’ve only met twice; _it seems like forever since they’ve known each other_ ). 

No way in hell was he prepared for what his eyes landed on for a mere 2.78 seconds. 

Firstly, _all black_ . Secondly, leather jacket – _black_ leather jacket, on top of a _black_ shirt, that was tucked into _black_ jeans, and no, they weren’t just plain old jeans. They were almost plastered to the man and if that wasn’t enough, there were tears in the material across the length of his thighs. 

He’ll have to inspect the exposed skin later since he looked away extremely fast. Jeno hates himself for it. 

Reason number 2. It is _Lee Donghyuck_. That should be a reason alone –he thinks it’s justified for his ass to feel tingly and heart to lodge itself in his esophagus.

Reason number 3. He -as in Jeno- fucking looks and feels like a toddler on his way to nursery. 

Why won’t Doyoung and Jaehyun just leave him now, like they’ve walked him into the elevator and out of it. 

Why are they literally walking him down the damn footpath, at the end of which his Romeo stands. 

It’s as if they’re not outside his apartment building but instead inside a church and this is not concrete they’re stepping upon, it’s the glossy marble floor of an aisle. Where is the fucking priest?!

Jeno is fuming with embarrassment and his two problems are either completely unaware, or they are aware and feigning to be completely unaware. 

Jaehyun even keeps petting his head, telling him he looks pretty.

He honestly cannot with the people he has as acquaintances. Yes, Yes, they have been reduced from friends to _people one knows slightly, but who are not close friends_ in his books.

Donghyuck’s going to think he’s taking out a child to babysit and not an equal adult for a date. It’s already starting out terribly and the two haven’t even said their _hello’s_ to one another.

Is this a sign from the heavens, a red light to warn the younger of what’s to come?

Is this date going to be a huge disappointment? 

Jeno can only hope for the best. 


	4. Cherry flavored conversations with you

Akin to a ray of light, raining down from heaven itself, Donghyuck heroically saves both the day and Jeno’s rapidly depleting dignity.

“Will you two let go of my date, you’re suffocating him.”

The voice lacks maliciousness, just a twinge of slightly concealed annoyance, either way the brunette melts. 

_My date_ , Donghyuck called him _‘my date’_. 

It significantly brings a lift to his souring mood, and the cherry on top came in the form of both his cousin and best friend letting their jaws drop in offence, turning to poor Jeno that was non-consensually sandwiched between them.

“We’re _suffocating_ you?!” 

They both scream at the same time, they aren’t subtle about the offense they take at even the mere possibility of the younger feeling this way. It’s absolutely unfathomable to them and they do nothing to hide it. 

So, the younger decides not to feign anything either. Jeno finally allows them the sight of his face, his brows furrowed mouth, unbeknownst to him, protruding into a pout.

“Of course, you are! I’m _28_ and you guys are _walking me_ to my date –by my fff- _flipping_ hands.” He whisper shouts at them, momentarily trying to ignore Donghyuck because well, he’s throwing a tantrum (according to Jeno) in front of his companion for the evening and it’s slightly embarrassing. At the same time though, he’s irritated, and the _two crazies_ need to know when it’s not alright to baby him.

Instead of giving Jeno an answer, he helplessly watches first Jaehyun scowl at his doctor friend, and then Doyoung follows his lead. 

He chances a glance at his date, who’s looking back at him with a smile and blatantly ignoring his two best friends, rendering him a puddle of goo and excitement. 

“Lee Donghyuck, you two probably haven’t even spent a complete one hour together and you’re already a negative influence on him –never has my baby – _ever_ spoken this way to me—"

“—I actually have—” 

“— **_Never_ ** has he spoken to us this way—"

“—Need I remind you—"

“—Baby, be quiet for a second, let the adults deal with this _thing_ , okay?”

Jaehyun holds onto Jeno’s shoulders and pushes him back behind him, while Doyoung closes the small distance between them and Donghyuck, and starts speaking to the other in a volume much too low for his ears to hear. 

He sees the elder nod along at whatever his cousin is telling him, appearing extremely bored while doing so. Jeno doesn’t get to see much more because Jaehyun is turning to him with a determined set to his eyes –a man on a mission.

“Okay baby, listen to me—" He again, slaps his hands down onto Jeno’s shoulders, shaking the brunette slightly “—if he tries _anything_ on you that you don’t like, just use one of these—" Jaehyun quickly picks something out of his pocket and shoves it into the younger’s hand. Jeno analyzes the small travel sized items in his hands, and his eyes widen in horror, immediately shooting up to glare at his hyung. 

_This_ was seriously too much, especially since he can’t read if the other is trying to be humorous or not.

“ _Hyung_ –you –I can’t – _are you out of your mind_ ? I am not taking _pepper spray_ and a _taser_ with me on my date that is with _your_ best friend!” He exclaims, mindful of the volume of his voice.

The pink-haired man doesn’t even seem to be the slightest bit guilty. Instead he smiles at him wide, dimples on full display and hugs him to his chest, his long arms wrapping around to grope at his butt, and giving it a nice long pat. It’s nothing new so Jeno isn’t fazed in the least.

“ _There there,_ I’m just looking out for my baby, please don’t be upset, you know hyung loves you right?” 

He says it so sweetly that Jeno really cannot find it in himself to feed the sprout of anger within him. He instantly becomes putty in the warm hold around him and thinks it isn’t fair that the elder does that. So Jeno plays his own hand.

“But you guys are treating me like a baby, _Jaehyunie hyung,_ I just want to go on my date, but you guys are making this hard for both of us and I was looking so forward to it but now I just feel sick and I don’t feel like going because I don’t feel too good anymore.” He speaks his words and lies in _whine_. 

Yes, it is a dialect, and it’s absolutely lethal to his hyungs.

It never fails to amaze Jeno how quick the elder nods along to whatever it is the brunette wants once the whining starts. The result is the same, and it never changes, like _never_.

So, it does its magic within seconds, and just like that, Jeno is set free from the impromptu hug. Doyoung is pulled away from Donghyuck, and the brunette is practically thrown in the direction of the surgeon.

Being shoved into the arms of the _soon to be the love of his life –_ Jeno harbors a new kind of embarrassment, the one that colors the apples of his cheeks a light pink, keeps his gaze lowered (he’s like an inch away from Donghyuck’s chest so he isn’t really complaining) and makes his heart thrum in the pit of his stomach, _or whatever_. Jeno knows botany, not anatomy. 

Donghyuck had saved him from falling face first onto the concrete ground. The brunette would have had half the mind to turn around and curse at his hyungs but Donghyuck has an arm looped around his waist, steadying him, and as a result –the entirety of Jeno’s brain has become mush. 

So, he can only let it slip. 

Jeno can’t count or make out just how long he stood frozen against Donghyuck’s body, he sounds like a pervert but can he really be blamed? 

All it took to snap him out of his daze was the small chuckle the other let out, and Jeno looked at the other man –well the other man’s face. 

Two words, _very big mistake_ (pardon him, he can’t think right now).

Their faces are so close that the only barrier between them could be a single sheet of paper. 

Jeno’s eyes are as open as the day he got his first tetanus shot, the only difference being, then his eyes sparkled with tears of pain, and right now they sparkle because of the glorious human being surrounding him. 

Donghyuck’s eyes aren’t like the brunette’s, his are softly crinkled at the ends and twinkling with mirth, it does things to him, so he lowers his wondrous stare and they naturally land on the other’s pink -soft looking lips. 

Jeno gulps, and the sound echoes between them.

Can _tension_ this heavy even start before a date, and that too a first date. 

Which is why Jeno’s addressing it as tension since he isn’t all that sure whether it would be appropriate for him to brand it as _sexual tension_ when they have barely been in each other’s presence for more than 3 minutes. 

Can he say that? 

Would it be unethical of him to do so? 

It’s really hard not to because this whole staring _thingy_ they’ve got going on is making him a bit too warm for comfort. 

“You know, I think we could save the kissing and intense staring for the end of the date.” Donghyuck whispers. 

In Jeno’s ears though, it blares like a fire alarm and he quickly lets out that sound he never wanted to make again (the one that sounds like a mix between a whale, hyena, and maybe a cow –the last one is debatable), and stumbles out of the surgeon’s arms.

“I’m –I’m so sorry, oh gosh.” He stutters, his cheeks burning a few darker shades of red.

Donghyuck laughs good naturedly, shaking his head with a gentle smile aimed at the younger to weaken his knees much more than they already were.

“No need to be, Jeno-yah –I should be the one apologizing to be honest, but can you really blame me, I like seeing you flustered.”

It would be the perfect time for him to hightail the hell out of there and run back to the other two in his apartment because heaven has sent an angel to kill him without spilling even a drop of blood from his long-limbed body. 

It’s terrifying, yet he wants more. He really should have left his masochism at home.

The older winks at him, seemingly enjoying his state of distress. He steps away from the black audi and opens the door, silently asking Jeno to sit with a nod of his head.

Without wasting anymore time, Jeno keeps his head lowered and rushes past Donghyuck, who’s chuckling softly at him, and plops down into the maroon leather seat, feeling just the slightest bit odd but not entirely sure why, grabbing onto the belt and fastening it. 

The door is slammed shut, and then once Donghyuck is settled in front of the steering wheel, he looks at the florist with an excited grin –that boyish one from when he had come to his flower shop.

“Ready to officially start our date?” 

The man, though overall he seems calm and collected, Jeno hears the nervous giddiness wavering in the elder’s voice. It brings some ease to his own jittery nerves, and finally, he can feel his lips break out into his first grin of the day.

“Ready as I’ll ever be.” 

At first the ride is quiet, pleasant with just a pinch of lingering awkwardness. This is their first date after all. 

All they’ve done prior to this is meet and find each other mutually attractive. Even their conversations through texts were short and precise, in the last few days the most they had managed were good morning and goodnight texts that consisted of wishing each other a good day and then asking how that same day went. 

Both are busy bodies, Jeno with his flowers and customers, and Donghyuck with his duties as a medical specialist. So, the small bit of unease lying stagnant between them is understandable. 

They haven’t conversed much and don’t know much about one another, but that’s what they’re here for right, to erase distances and grow closer.

Jeno glances at the elder from the corner of his eyes, Donghyuck’s profile is just as handsome and mesmerizing as the rest of him is, and right now even more so, with his golden brown locks parted to reveal strong, narrowed eyebrows, his jawline defined. And out of context –but his arm that’s extended out to hold on to the steering wheel, has his biceps slightly bulging and straining against the black leather. 

Not only God, but Jesus is testing him too. He only glanced at Donghyuck, so his whole analysis of the other male was for like a total of six seconds –divided into 3 sections. He didn’t want to get caught in the act.

It’s peaceful, though, at the same time there’s this nagging thought at the back of his mind that’s insisting he’d say something to fill that silence. It’s always Donghyuck initiating their conversations, and the elder even told him to be comfortable with him, they even dropped formalities. Donghyuck doesn’t even make him call him hyung, so it should only be fair that Jeno expresses that he can be comfortable too, that he isn’t always a flustered, nervous wreck. 

Even so, it’s easier said than done, like what should he ask about, or say? Should he actually ask something? Or just state something and let the other lead the conversation from there? What should he do?! 

Why is speaking so hard? Like it usually isn’t, for God’s sake he’s a shop owner and he converses with many people on a daily basis despite bearing the tendency to shy away from strangers. 

On top of it, this man isn’t even a stranger, he somewhat knows him, or at least knows people that know him. So why does licking his own elbow seem more possible than starting up a conversation with Donghyuck? 

Like, he gets it, the man is a hunk, but then he’s so sweet and kind, looks at him with probably the most-gentle gaze any potential significant other has set upon him. He has an exceptionally charming grin that makes Jeno want to bear his children despite the obvious issues his anatomy poses. 

The man is just – _magical_. 

What was the point of this again?

_Oh yes, speak up, Lee Jeno, what’s the worst that could even happen, you say something stupid to piss Donghyuck off and he bites you, yeah you’d probably enjoy that –anyways, just say something!_

So, he does.

“Whe—" he clears his throat and tries again “where are we going?”

Just as he _flaw-fully_ executes the last syllable of his question and Donghyuck looks over at him to answer, the elder’s phone rings, the sound reverberating through the car’s speakers. 

The automated female voice speaks up then.

“ **_Do not answer_ ** _is calling.”_

Jeno tilts his head in confusion at the peculiar name. That _obviously_ isn’t someone’s name. 

His doubt is confirmed when Donghyuck lets out a strained chuckle and declines the call with the press of a button on the steering wheel.

“What were you asking Jeno-yah?” He asks then.

“O-oh, just, um, where—"

This time it’s his own phone that starts ringing, the generic Iphone ringtone loud enough to make him jolt. He prays the other didn’t see that. 

Glancing down at the annoying piece of technology clasped in his hand, the name flashing on the screen makes him groan internally –he picks up nonetheless.

“Yes, Jaehyunie Hyung?” 

He hears Donghyuck mutter something under his breath but his hyung snatches his attention.

“Put you on speaker? Why?” 

“Okay –fine.”

He pulls the phone away from his ear and presses the speaker symbol, letting his hyung know that he could now say whatever it was that he wanted to say.

 _“Yo, dick head, why’d you cut my call? –Jen, baby close your ears for a minute_.”

Jeno furrows his brows, and looks at the man driving next to him, and then it clicks –Jaehyun was _do not answer_. 

It’s hilarious and the second it registers in his brain; he has to bite on his lip to keep his laughter inside. 

He turns to see the older man sparing him a glance, a smile split across his face, probably understanding that Jeno realized who had called earlier.

“Because I’m out with a _very important person_ who I would like to give all of my attention and time to, _so_ I don’t have any time to spare for something insignificant like you –now get out.”

_“You do realize in order to make it official with that very important person –you’ll have to go through this insignificant something’s approval?”_

“You give yourself way too much credit, Jae, me and _that very important person_ could just run away together if you didn’t approve.”

Jeno’s blush has absolutely nothing to do with the conversation going on between his date and best friend. It’s so hot inside the car, he’s sweating buckets –he isn’t, but the blush had to come from somewhere right?

_“Aren’t you giving yourself too much credit, Hyuck-ah? My baby would never leave me to go runoff into the sunset with a douche like you?”_

Donghyuck snorts, the sound calling Jeno’s attention to the surgeon, who wears a conceited smirk.

“Oh, is that what _little –wittle Jaehyunie_ thinks, but if you don’t think he would, let’s just ask him, what do you say, Jeno-yah, do you wanna runaway with me?” 

_“He doesn’t, trust me.”_

Donghyuck has his eyes focused on the road, but the lift to his eyebrow tells him he’s waiting for an answer –and well the brunette thinks the whole thing is just hilarious –now he sort of understands why the two are such great friends. They’re both full of themselves. 

This time though, he decides to willingly, for the first time ever, side against Jaehyun given that Jeno only sides with Doyoung out of sympathy. To make himself feel better for crossing his hyung, he reasons it’s because he wants to tease the man. 

It has _absolutely_ nothing to do with pleasing the Adonis he’s going out with, _nothing at all._

“Well, I’ve always wanted to go on an adventure and explore the world…” 

He trails off, keeping his gaze on Donghyuck to read his expression, and the man doesn’t disappoint at all. 

He hears Jaehyun ranting off about something in the background, probably how upset he is that his baby chose someone else over him, but he couldn’t care less because Donghyuck is practically beaming with joy. His cheeks are dimpled and round, with his eyes crinkling so much, Jeno thinks they might be closed –he prays they aren’t, since he really wishes to have more dates with the other. 

It’s so cute and endearing, totally contrasting with his overall biker boy get-up. The brunette would side with him time and time again if only to see him wear such a bright expression of joy. 

_“Doyoung! Doyoung –they’re running away together; we mean nothing to them!”_

_“Jaehyun, shut the fuck up I’m trying to sleep!”_

“Yeah, shut the fuck up and let us be on our merry way.”

_“Did you just say marry?!”_

“Yeah, I did, now leave us alone.” 

“Bye, hyungs!”

He hangs up and sets his phone on silent. 

Before he can put the device away, it blinks with an incoming message. It’s Jaehyun, and with every word he reads –the text has him smiling gently down at his screen, a familiar warmth spreading through his heart.

**Jaehyunie Hyung**

You feeling a bit more at ease now Jen? 

**You:**

Love you hyung

He thinks his answer will be enough for the other to know whether Jeno was comfortable now or not. He makes a mental note to hug the life out of his hyung the next time he sees him. 

“I still haven’t been able to answer your question.” Donghyuck states, throwing a glance his way.

A light bulb goes off in Jeno’s head and he feels a blush rising to his cheeks despite himself. It completely slipped his mind that he was in the midst of asking the elder a question, yet the man remembered (like he should, but who would make the smitten brunette understand that) something that trivial. 

“I’m afraid if I ask that question, one of our phones will begin to ring again.” He says instead, feeling the slightest bit like himself, the credit going to his sly hyungs of course.

The man laughs at that, nodding his head in agreement.

“Well, you can ask something else then, the drive is a bit long, we’re going almost outside Seoul.”

The younger gasps audibly, his jaw dropping and looking at the only other person in the car.

“That far?” 

“Yeah, it’s a small cafe I used to frequent as a student, they have really good sweets and coffee, and it’s quiet –so we could have a nice chat too.” His voice is slightly strained as he ticks off good points about the location for their date. 

Donghyuck’s probably unsure, and -dare he say-nervous whether he might like the place or not, so Jeno quickly speaks to assure the other.

“It sounds really nice, to be honest you had me at _really good sweets_.” 

“What about great coffee?” 

“Yeah, you lost me there.” Jeno lets out an exaggerated sad sigh. 

Donghyuck whips around at him with his eyes wide, just for a second, even his mouth dropped open, he seems scandalised and the brunette laughs.

If he were hundred percent truthful right at this moment, the only thing that has him speaking this freely and encouraging him to speak, are the new reactions and expressions Donghyuck is so generously gracing him with. 

“Lee Jeno, please tell me you did not just say that.” He reiterates, and the said male can only offer up more mirthful giggles, before answering.

“Coffee is _okay_ , I just have an insatiable sweet tooth.” 

The cardiologist purses his lips, nodding slowly, as if he’s thinking especially hard about the whole ordeal, and then he nods his head a final time before looking at the florist for a second.

“Makes sense now that I think about it, it’s probably why you’re so sweet.”

He’s going to deny that he’s blushing, and he has a good reason for it, because even if what the other said made his heart palpitate at an irregular pace, it was undeniably cheesy and dripping with grease. Donghyuck knows it too because his grin is wide, the intensity of it crinkling his eyes.

Though the state of his tomato red cheeks betrays him, Jeno groans, shaking his head.

“I don’t know how I could ever doubt that you and Doyoungie hyung are friends, it’s very clear now.” 

His remark earns him a laugh, that sounds so nice he wants to hear it forever and ever. 

“Why would you ever doubt that? It’s as apparent as day that we’re friends.”

“Actually, to me it wasn’t, I just got to know that you’re friends with my cousin, like after your sister’s wedding, before that I never heard hyungs talk about you.” 

Donghyuck brings his brows together, tilting his head in confusion.

“That’s really weird, there’s no way that could be possible, are you sure, Jeno-yah? I mean we’ve been friends ever since like –middle school –or was it high school –it’s been so long I can’t even remember.” 

Jeno shakes his head, mentally going through his memories spent with the other two, checking to see if he ever heard the older man’s name spill through their mouths.

“Nope –not even once, at least as far as I remember.” He confirms.

“That’s impossible, I used to piss both of them off like a lot –good naturedly of course –but, so like you’re saying you never heard Doyoung say something like _Lee Haechan that fucking privileged son of a bitch_ , hmm?” 

It’s almost scary how accurate Donghyuck is with his impersonation of his cousin, sounding just like the older Kim, but the way the latter says it causes few memories to surface in Jeno’s head.

His jaw drops open so now he could look like the scandalised one. He cannot fathom how oblivious he’s been all along. 

It isn’t his fault that he barely paid attention to half the things Doyoung and Jaehyun would speak about. Plus, in his defence he was young, he had more important things to do than to sit on the porch and listen to his hyungs gossip about their outings with their other friend –one he constantly doubted was a friend.

“Omigosh, Donghyuck I have heard of you –I just didn’t know hyung was talking about you since I didn’t know they called you Haechan.” Jeno explains.

“Yeah, it was something they used to call me quite a lot.” Donghyuck says in a softer manner, as if he’s reminiscing something. 

“Did you hear of me back then?” Jeno asks curiously, glancing outside the window as they drive over a bridge spanning over a lake.

“I actually did.” Donghyuck says, attracting his complete attention.

“Well, to be honest, I didn’t know you by name, I just knew that Doyoung would go back to his grandma’s for summer vacation and his cousin, you, would be there too, and Jaehyun would tag along because of his strawberry baby or something, which if I am not incorrect –is also _you_?” 

Jeno recalls that nickname and how long it took him to get the elder to stop calling him that. It was embarrassing, especially when they’d go out to eat or shop and Jaehyun would want to summon his presence. All the bystanders would snicker at him. 

“Yeah, unfortunately, _that_ was me.” 

“I think it’s befitting, I mean, he probably called you that because you blush a lot, right?” He asks, and as much as Jeno doesn’t want to humor him, his ears start picking up a crimson hue.

“You’re actually _very_ wrong, it’s because I love strawberries, they’re my favorite fruit.” 

“Well, I was close enough.” The surgeon states, and the florist guffaws.

“You weren’t close at all!” 

“Of course, I was –you are what you eat.”

“You don’t like losing do you?”

“Losing? What’s that?”

“Were you a jock during your high school days?” 

“The most popular one.” 

Donghyuck’s proud grin is contagious and Jeno grins along, letting out a few chuckles.

“What high school stereotype did you belong to?” He’s asked.

“Um –I was, well I guess a wallflower of sorts, like I was a huge biology nerd, but like I don’t think I could be classified under that label entirely because well, I didn’t really like studying, but I only did so I could get good grades –I liked learning about my favorite subjects, but on my own, not through things I’d be tested on –no one really bothered with me, it was a smooth sailing four years.” He explained, belatedly realizing that he was talking more openly now, and that a good portion of his initial nervousness had subdued to a _teeny-tiny_ amount. 

“I get you, during the first four years of studying medicine, all I could wait for was actually learning about the heart in detail, often times I just got annoyed with having to learn a bunch of stuff that I couldn’t care about, even though knowing those things was essential, but you know the mentality of a student right, we just wanna be concerned with what concerns us, nothing more and nothing less.” 

He nods along to the elder’s words, agreeing here and there. They make more small talk, learning about each other’s likes and dislikes, getting to know their similarities and differences, the minor itty-bitty details that create the bigger picture. 

  
  
  


They also play a self-altered game of twenty-one questions.

**When’s your birthday?**

Donghyuck: June 6th

Jeno: April 23rd 

**Favorite color?**

Donghyuck: red and black

Jeno: blue 

**Favorite animal?**

Donghyuck: puppies

Jeno: horses

**If you could only eat one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be?**

Donghyuck: Samgyeopsal

Jeno: Jjampong

**Do you have any nicknames?**

Donghyuck: Love doctor (he had to explain it was because he was a heart specialist and not because he went around the hospital with ulterior motives), Hyuck, Haechan, full sun

Jeno: Jen, No-no, and unfortunately _Baby_ (Donghyuck had said the last one was befitting of the adorable male, but Jeno just blushed and grumbled something incoherently) 

**Do you have any siblings?**

Donghyuck: You saw my younger sister –it’s just us two

Jeno: Nope, but I consider Doyoung and Jaehyun hyung to be my older brothers, so yes

**What’s your biggest pet peeve?**

Donghyuck: not being able to complete something I’ve started

Jeno: having to deal with impatient and mean clients ( _they scare me_ , the brunette had elaborated, _I don’t know what to do when someone’s angry with me_ )

**Coffee or tea?**

Donghyuck: coffee, definitely

Jeno: chocolate milk

**What’s on your bucket list?**

Donghyuck: Sky diving –right from a plane

Jeno: cuddling a Koala bear, travelling each and every city in the world

**Are you a morning person or a night person?**

Donghyuck: night 

Jeno: night

**Do you ever cook?**

Donghyuck: yeah 

Jeno: not really...

**What are you most passionate about?**

Donghyuck: at the moment –pursuing you

Jeno: at the moment –playing hard to get

(the two had laughed wholeheartedly, any previous awkwardness having completely disappeared –both Jeno and Donghyuck feeling nearly completely at ease)

And then the last question had happened, and let’s just say, Donghyuck is thankful that they arrived at their destination when the younger answered him. He was focused on parking the car, gratefully not on the highway or main road, where, in the worst-case scenario, the damage could have been life threatening. 

The only thing that suffered was Donghyuck’s sanity and probably everything he had believed in since he knew how to breathe. 

**Any tattoos?**

Donghyuck: nope, but I do want to get some

Jeno: umm….yes? 

He knows it’s wrong to judge anyone before getting to know them, but in his defence, it’s a common human practice. Not that he’s justifying doing something just because others are doing it, but when you meet someone or see a person at first glance, there are a few qualities that one’s mind subconsciously links that someone to. 

As for Donghyuck, his mind hadn’t even bothered humoring the thought of the younger having a tattoo, especially given the society they live in. 

It leaves him dumbfounded and even more intrigued by the brunette. He only now confirms that, despite Jeno appearing to be easily decipherable –it’s far from the truth. He can’t wait to completely, and _thoroughly_ know the latter.

On top of that –if he may add. Pretty people with tattoos were a wet dream to him, a weakness of his. If he considers that Jeno is probably the most beautiful person he’s ever come across, specifically referring to his visuals, then pairing that beauty with ink nearly has him offering the brunette to skip the soft stuff and go home with him.

But Donghyuck obviously doesn’t, reprimanding and reminding himself that he is _grown up_ Donghyuck and not _hormonal teenager_ Donghyuck.

His initial shock must show on his face, it has to since his jaw is slack in the most unattractive way, he can literally feel saliva gathering in his mouth, and his eyes are wide open –borderline twitching with how large they’re stretched out. 

If his own facial discomfort wasn’t obvious enough, Jeno’s slightly amused and worried gaze, plus the soft, hesitant smile, tells him enough. 

He wasn’t expecting Donghyuck to react this expressively. 

The car is parked safely, thank the lord, and the two stay seated in the car, facing each other. After a few seconds minutes hours –pass, Donghyuck isn’t sure what, his numb brain is snapped out of it’s useless trance by the clicking sound of a seat belt unbuckling. 

He blinks a few times so the haze smothering his vision clears up. The younger sheepishly smiles up at him, amusement relentlessly twinkling in his soft brown eyes, and shrugs out of the contraption gluing him to his seat.

“Should we go inside now?” He asks so sweetly that Donghyuck would have said yes immediately, _anything for you_. But there is a much larger issue at hand that he must address before doing anything else.

“You – _you_ have a _tattoo_?” He questions instead, earning a short -surprised laugh out of the other.

“Yes, _I_ do.” 

His inquiry must come off as a confirmation of how deep he’s sunken in his disbelief, because right before his very, bulging eyes, does Jeno do something else he’s never done before, or does something Donghyuck never thought to associate with the younger. He smirks. 

The cardiologist knows that he would have gone into cardiac arrest was it not for the date they had yet to complete, therefore he saves it for later. 

The expression is a foreign sight to him, but it’s just as befitting of the brunette, _very sexy._

“So –like, where is _it_?” He asks instead with his voice going off a pitch higher. 

It probably shouldn’t be something to ask, but really, he’s thankful enough he didn’t accidentally tell Jeno that the thing his mouth is doing right now is also testing him. But expecting more from him currently is rationally unmanageable. 

The brunette giggles at his clearly distressed and _thirsty_ state, his rosy cheeks rising high with the knowledge of having an upper hand in this small situation. Even his cute little ears are colored scarlet.

“It’s _somewhere_ , but I think, not someplace I could talk about on the first date.” 

With another small, embarrassed giggle generously graced to Donghyuck’s ears, and a face as red as his own, the brunette opens the door, and exits the car, closing the door as gently as one could. 

Jaehyun, that ass, didn’t even bother warning him. Donghyuck honestly thought, again he apologizes for all the pre-judging on his part, that the person he had come to be infatuated with was someone exempt from all things that were taboo in their conservative society. 

But _boy_ was he wrong, and he was loving every second of it. 

He’s had a few previous fleeting relationships in which his partner was against him permanently inking his skin –amongst other things he wanted to try out. It always put him off, made him feel just the slightest bit suffocated, as if what he liked was _wrong_ and _unacceptable_. 

Now that he has confirmation that Jeno would be far from those nightmares, it renews his undying excitement for the other, and he quickly pushes the start button to close the car. He grabs his keys and phone from the cup-holder, his wallet already in the pocket of his leather jacket, and with his unwavering grin, he too, finally exits, joining Jeno who was patiently waiting for him by the car. 

“Is it _that_ unbelievable?” Jeno asks him as they enter the cafe, looking for a place to sit, bringing the topic back.

They choose a table for two in the farthest corner of the cafe, next to a ceiling-to-floor window. Donghyuck shakes his head, a chuckle –a very happy chuckle leaving his lips. 

“I just didn’t expect it.”

The small cafe isn’t congested in any way, it has a very modern nature meets minimalism aesthetic, which helps open up the tight space. The tables and seats are made from a light yellow-ish wood, accented by dark green plants placed in pots and criss-crossing over pipes in the industrial style ceiling. The air carries a strong scent of freshly brewed coffee and something warm and sweet like baked cinnamon buns. 

Donghyuck’s favorite part of the cafe is of course the coffee and a few of their scones, croissants, and pastries. They proved to be great help for him while he’d have his nose stuffed between pages and pages of medical literature. 

This place could easily attract a lot more attention, yet he’s grateful things aren’t like that since for him, this cafe was a safe haven of sorts, a location away from the city –the place where his problems and stress are rooted. 

It pleases him even more to see the brunette looking around with wonder, a wide smile on his face, seeming to harbor a liking. He probably does, with all the plant life they have as décor. 

They order their beverages and something on the side to eat. Donghyuck refuses all of Jeno’s attempts at paying for them, ending the advances using his advantage: _the age card_. 

The florist was oozing with manners engrained in almost every child from their country, and it worked seamlessly in Donghyuck’s favor.

Once they’ve received their order from the kind lady behind the counter, who surprisingly recognized him and exchanged small talk for a moment, the two make themselves comfortable in the plush -cream colored cushions of the single-seater couches. 

“So, if I can’t know where _it_ is, can I know what _it_ is?” Donghyuck asks just as Jeno lifts his kiwi carambola lemonade to his lips. The florist sets it down instead, shaking his head with a grin.

“Do you like tattoos that much?” He questions instead, that beautiful, _sexy_ , smirk reappearing. 

“Nope, _just yours._ ” He winks. 

“How can you like something you’ve never seen, what if it’s completely repulsive to your eyes?” 

“Well we won’t know till I see it –so what say you?” 

“I say no.” He laughs, sticking his tongue out at the elder of the two.

The innocent childish act has Donghyuck swooning –his poor heart melting into a puddle of goo. It makes him want to coddle the younger to his chest and never let go. Jeno’s appearance had Donghyuck suffering already, but his actions were equally lethal and merciless.

The man looked absolutely beautiful sitting in front of him, nothing short of an angel. 

His ruffled hair falls into his eyes, which every now and then the man tries to sweep out of his dense lashes with a gentle finger and flick of his head. His cheeks have stayed a crimson color ever since he landed his eyes on the brunette today, and he’d like to think it’s because of him. His lips are glossy and a similar hue to his cheeks. 

The entire view sitting on the opposite seat, only takes his breath away more than it already had, with the sun filtering in from the glass window, falling right on the brunette casting a halo around him, and making his eyes glow a golden color. 

Donghyuck is, the least to say, completely annihilated.

He doesn’t think he’s ever been grateful to know Doyoung and Jaehyun, but right at this moment, or probably ever since he met the florist, he wants to offer gifts to whatever deities made his path cross with his two other best friends. Only through them was his life graced with the presence of an ethereal being. 

To show his appreciation, the first sip he takes of his hot black coffee (with two sugars -he isn’t that bitter), is to Doyoung and Jaehyun’s name –and their friendship, he adds as an afterthought. 

“This is really good.” He hears the brunette say, who’s once complete slice of strawberry short cake was missing at least half of its body. 

Donghyuck snickers, nodding his head and eyes narrowed playfully. 

“Don’t think I don’t notice you changing the topic, Jeno-yah, but I’ll let it slide just this once, and yes their food is one of the reasons I keep coming here despite the long commute.” He offers as a reply. 

“I was not changing the topic! I’m just stating facts.” 

They ask one another more questions, Donghyuck dropping the whole tattoo thing for the time being, although he isn’t going to lie, he’s dying to know what it is and where it is. It’s not his fault something as small as a tattoo is winding him up. 

He challenges anyone else to try and keep their hormones under control in the presence of Lee Jeno. He keeps the detail right at the top of his list that has content relating to everything that is Jeno; he can think in depth about this finding in his own time. 

They begin speaking about their backgrounds, where each of them were born, brought up, and now the place they live in; which place do they like more? 

Jeno tells him that he would love to go back to living on his grandmother’s farm so he could plant some of his own flowers there and eat the fresh strawberries his grandmother harvests. However, his parents live in Seoul, and they want him to stay close to them so the three can be a part of each other’s lives. He has tried to convince his grandparents to move to Seoul so they aren’t alone back home, but they refuse every time, telling him that this is their home, they can’t just leave after all the years they spent there. 

As for himself, Donghyuck speaks about when he lived in Jeju, the few years of his childhood that are blurry, yet engraved in his mind. Learning how to ride a bike, collecting seashells by the seashore, even getting nipped by a baby crab. 

He told him about how he hated Seoul when they first moved. He was a child after all, the only thing he could think of had been the friends he had to leave behind. Fickle as children can be, the minute he befriended a good number of friends at his new school, he started accepting the new city. 

They go through various more topics, like what they like doing in their free time, whether they’re a homebody or someone who loves exploring the outside world. The two gladly find out that both are homebodies, preferring to spend time in the comfort of their space, doing the things they like –which coincidentally unrevealed their mutual obsession with video games.

Jeno tells him that he often volunteers at animal shelters, enjoying his day in the company of energetic puppies or cuddly kittens. He also adds that it’s something he has to be careful with since he’s allergic to animal fur. 

The pair talk each other’s ears off. Donghyuck happily watching as the brunette spoke undeterred by the previous nervousness he had been showing. He’s utterly grateful for the progress they’ve made, because even if he found shy –nervous wreck Jeno undeniably gorgeous, a calm and comfortable Jeno was a trillion times more eye-catching. It made his breath stutter in awe of the younger. 

They come to realize how late it had gotten since they began conversing only when a familiar sound of soft pitter-pattering hits the glass window and shakes them awake like an alarm. The two simultaneously divert their gaze towards the source of the noise, registering the dark, late evening sky, and surprisingly –rain. 

Donghyuck feels a frown tug at his lips when he realizes that in this weather, with the rain steadily picking up its pace, they won’t be able to complete the second half of the date he planned. 

Unbeknownst to him, the younger had been watching him and most likely noticed the sullen turn to his mouth.

“Donghyuck?” He calls for his attention, which he immediately offers, just the slightest bit occupied by the thoughts of his souring plans. 

“Is...everything okay?” 

He thinks to lie and tell Jeno that everything was alright, top notch, what could ever go wrong? 

But he decides against it, this was _their_ date after all, not just his alone. The downwards direction the unexpected showers had sent their date into should not be something only he’s aware of. Jeno should have knowledge that Donghyuck hadn’t scheduled a mediocre trip to a hipster cafe for their first date, there was more to it but nature sometimes likes to rain on people’s parades, and this time it’s victim was none other than himself. 

Shit happens, right?

“Unfortunately, Jeno-yah, everything isn’t okay, well it was, until the rain started.” He says, slouching slightly in his seat.

In front of him, the brunette puckers his lips into a slight pout, shifting his head to the side with a furrow between his brows, not really knowing what was so bad about the rain. 

“I originally planned for us to go to a park nearby –after we were done at the cafe, and they have a greenhouse there too, so I wanted to take you there, but now we can’t since it’s mostly outdoors and I wouldn’t wanna risk you getting sick.” He takes his time in explaining, the tone of his voice could probably send the coldest of hearts into a sobbing mess, but he really was upset that the date was going off course.

Although, his spirits are instantly lifted by the sound of a breathy laugh, the power of the latter’s fond gaze charging him with some of his rapidly draining energy.

“Donghyuck, unless you secretly don’t have anything to do with the downpour, I think there isn’t any need for you to worry so much, we can just find something else to do?” Jeno asks him with a soft smile, and who can have the heart to say no to that face. 

Not Lee Donghyuck for sure. 

“What _can_ we do?” He really hadn’t meant for it to come off as sounding so hopeless. 

Hey, he’s a man of order, and unexpected events that hinder the path of well calculated steps, momentarily throw him off, before he grabs himself by the balls (figuratively) and faces the issue head on. 

The only problem arising here is that if he faces the issue, he’s most likely going to end up bedridden for the next few days with an unforgiving fever. 

However, it seems that he’s the only one suffering through the rapid turn of events because the florist just laughs again, and this time Donghyuck knows that _he_ is being laughed at.

“ _Hey_ , it’s okay! Even though I would have loved to see wherever we were going next, I’m pretty sure we can find something else equally as fun…..for both y-you and me?” 

This Jeno is who Donghyuck is used to, stumbling over words, sentences ending in questions, cheeks a fuming red. 

The shy gaze set upon him has him recognizing the hidden meaning (not really hidden but Donghyuck’s not thinking straight right now(when is he even)) behind the younger’s mumbling.

 _He doesn’t want the date to end just yet._

Just because it started raining, and going to the next initially planned venue would not be a smart idea, does not mean they’d have to say their goodbyes earlier than expected. 

It has his mopey persona evaporating within seconds, a renewed sense of vision that has color returning to his sight and pure oxygen filling his lungs; he’s an entirely new person. 

“What do you have in mind?” 

The brunette wrings his fingers together, biting down into his lips, the action making Donghyuck bring a fist up to his mouth to muffle a tiny groan that would have been deafening in the quiet cafe. 

Till their sexual tension is resolved, Jeno really needs to stop doing that otherwise Donghyuck will dig his own grave and lie in it. The offending florist will have to find a new dating partner –which is not a good idea so Donghyuck blocks off the thought entirely, refocusing on the other man.

“Well, we could, maybe –you don’t have to say yes, but I was thinking that maybe, we could like go back to my place, and –like order pizza and play games or something –only if you want to, like I know it’s the first date and all, but like just pizza and games you know, but if –"

“—Jeno-yah.”

“hmm?”

“That sounds great.”

“Oh—Okay.”

“You ready to go then?”

“Yes?”

They run back to the car, laughing loudly with Donghyuck holding his discarded leather jacket over their heads. Seating Jeno on the passenger side first, he jogs over to his own seat, settling down and immediately turning on the heat. The florist’s laughter still echoing in their warming space. 

The ride back to Jeno’s apartment is occupied by more chattering, the two finding everything and anything to create a conversation with. 

It’s nice Donghyuck thinks, even with the few intervals of complete silence that no longer makes their skin crawl. He hasn’t felt these many things –emotions—thoughts, for a person in a long while, he hasn’t hung off of each word said, hasn’t found insanely attractive, hasn’t had his own heart palpitate irregularly. 

It’s been so long that these feelings seem all the more foreign to him –but that’s good, it makes him crave it more.

He doesn’t understand why he ever tried to run away from it in the first place. He’d definitely make all the time he could for Jeno.

  
  
  


The drive back felt much shorter than the route to the lovely cafe Donghyuck brought him to. 

Jeno loved it, and _damn_ that strawberry shortcake was to die for, he would have certainly bought some for himself to bring home, only if _someone_ wouldn’t have stolen his wallet –and no, that someone wasn’t Donghyuck. 

Now he understands why his Jaehyun hyung had groped his butt a bit excessively when they hugged each other goodbye earlier in the day. That _uncultured swine_ had slyly slipped his wallet out of his pocket. 

Jeno only realized it when they were standing at the counter, arguing over who would pay the bill. The brunette had reached into the back pocket of his jeans feeling for his wallet when he felt nothing but the faint outline of his underwear beneath his pants. 

Uncomfortable with feeling up his own butt in public, he left it at that, and two things dawned upon him: 

  1. He did not have his wallet
  2. That is also why he had felt weird when he sat down in the car –because his wallet hadn’t created a barrier between the seat and his left butt cheek. He should have known.



Therefore, Jeno had to give into his date’s persistence willingly, letting Donghyuck pay for them and believe that he did so because he was about to use the _age card_ on him. 

Pfft –if only he knew.

All in all, the cafe part of their date was really nice, even when Donghyuck momentarily lost his macho man persona and let Jeno have a glimpse at another side of him, just as endearing and attractive as the rest he’d seen so far. 

Although, throughout the surgeon’s worrying, he couldn’t keep himself from musing over just how adorable this grown 32-year old man was. It was hard for him to stay sitting in his comfy seat when all his nerves were screaming for him to move himself onto the other and offer some comfort with a big hug. 

It was hard but not impossible, especially when Jeno’s own brain was about to set itself in panic mode because heaven and hell both knew how he didn’t want their date to end just yet. 

So, he spoke before he could allow his anxieties to seal his lips closed, asking whether he’d want to come back to his place for some pizza and games, something that’s a rainy-day tradition for Jeno. 

In a way, he basically asked Donghyuck whether he’d like to join him for something he knew he would do once he got home. 

Here they were, parked in another parking lot, this time the one outside Jeno’s apartment building. He doesn’t see his cousin or his best friend’s car in the lot anywhere, so they probably left which is a good thing. 

They never said they were going to stay anyways. So, he and Donghyuck could continue where they left off in peace, and not _pieces_ if the situation were otherwise –read: his hyungs were present and screwing over his date. 

They make a run for it, laughing again at how two grown men are struggling to fit themselves under the width of a jacket. 

The second they enter the building, the abrupt change in temperature has his teeth chattering and tremors of ice shooting through his body. Before he can reach a quivering finger to press the button to call an elevator, a heavy weight lands on his shoulders that covers the length of his back and arms; Donghyuck’s jacket.

He looks at the man standing beside him giving him a soft smile that Jeno returns with the added blush to his cheeks, _which is of course the result of the cold biting at his skin_. 

They don’t say anything until they’re standing in front of Jeno’s door and there’s loud noises coming from inside. His back is to Donghyuck, so he can’t see his face, but he sounds wary when he asks him, 

“Is someone inside?”

Jeno shakes his head uncaringly.

“Nope, Doyoung hyung probably forgot to shut the TV off as usual –nothing new, I’ll send him the electricity bill.” He jokes while punching in the passcode that unlocks his door.

He turns towards Donghyuck, walking in backwards and holding the door open.

“Welcome to my humble abo—"

He walks until his back has contact with a wall that should not be standing in the middle of his hallway. 

Donghyuck’s unabashed eye-roll and frown is enough to inform him that the wall is in fact not a wall.

“Welcome home, Jen, how was your date?”

He groans up at the yellow light fit into his ceiling –momentarily blinding himself, not bothering to humor his hyung, and instead locking his sad –rapidly blinking to clear the black spots from his vision—eyes with Donghyuck.

“Please come in.” He grumbles half-heartedly, moving from the door and finally turning around to meet a face full of dimples.

“Baby! How was it?”

“ _It_ isn’t over yet! I thought you would have gone home! Is Doyoung hyung here too!?” 

He trails after Jaehyun, turning for a second to make sure Donghyuck is following him, which he is, so he continues hot on his best friend’s heels, and into the living room. His cousin is laying on the length of the longest sofa, his hand stuffed in a bag of doritos that he has resting on his chest. 

Jeno abruptly stops in front of the living room, briefly ushering his guest _and_ date to take a seat. Once the surgeon was settled, one cushion away from Jaehyun, he turns to glare at the intruders in his home.

“ _Hyung,_ I thought you guys would have gone home, what are you doing here?” 

“Well, I knew this _sly bastard_ would try to worm his way into my baby’s home on the first date itself, so we stayed behind just in case.” Doyoung lazily explains, crunching loudly on his chips with his eyes unmoving from the large screen.

His date snorts, snapping his attention to the man decked out in all black.

“If anything, it was _your_ _baby_ that invited me upstairs.”

Jeno’s mouth drops open in offense, even though it’s the truth, but the way the man says it implies eighteen-plus intentions behind his innocent suggestion. 

He looks at his date with wide eyes, plopping down in shock on the only unoccupied sofa.

“ _H-hey!_ Don’t put it like that.” He protests meekly, pouting at the wide, mischievous grin he’s given in return. 

No, it does not make his heart race, not at all.

Jaehyun reaches over and slaps the back of Donghyuck’s head.

“Yah, don’t expose my baby like that –and Jen, you’re grounded.”

“Yeah –what Jaehyun said, we already told you _no sex before the third date._ ”

Jeno splutters. 

“We were just going to order some pizza and play games!”

“Yo Doyoung, doesn’t that sound awfully a lot like _netflix and chill_?”

“Yeah it does, now that you said it, Netflix and chill –pizza and games, yeah it does have the same ring to it.”

“You guys are taking this the wrong way!” He shrieks, embarrassed and two seconds away from hauling both his hyungs out his front door. 

“Are they really, Jeno-yah?” 

The audacity his date has!

“ _Donghyuck!_ I thought you’d be on my side!”

“Baby, lying is just going to get you grounded for longer.”

“Jaehyunie hyung, I’m an adult not a flipping toddler, you can’t ground me!” 

“Yeah Jae, he’s not a toddler, if he wants to have sex on the first date then that’s his choice.” Jeno really hates Donghyuck’s devilish grin –it should be illegal for someone’s smirk to be this attractive.

“ _Ohmygod please stop_!” he chokes out, hiding behind a cushion he has no recollection of picking up. 

“Lee Donghyuck, you better get the fuck out of here before I come after you with my slipper.” 

“Doyoung hyung, please refrain from attacking my date!”

“You better get your little butt ready for a nice beating too, what did I tell you about _putting out_ on the first date?”

“It isn’t like that! You guys are so embarrassing - _oh god why me_?”

“What’s so wrong if he wants to _put out_ on the first date?”

“ _Donghyuck_!” He screeches again, eyeing the man.

Donghyuck laughs loudly, throwing his head back. 

Jeno slowly understands now how these three are friends: they’re all evil and out to get him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> next chapter will be the lastt!!! and it shall have some steamy times in it :")


	5. Just me and you and you and me alone

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hahah smut, please go in with tiny expectations, i don't do this often so doughnut expect too much okeyyy

When Donghyuck drops him off, the last thing Jeno wants is for the other man to leave.

“Do you wanna come in for some coffee or tea?” He asks, casting a glance over his shoulder, and trying to conceal his surprise at the other’s proximity.

He wasn’t expecting Donghyuck to be standing this close to him. It has him thinking for a moment about the intention behind the lack of space. But he shakes the fleeting thought away at the first swoop of his tummy, a tiny bit of heat making its way to his ears.

“Caffeine at this time of night Jeno-yah, what do you plan to stay awake for?” Donghyuck chuckles, following him into his home in answer.

Jeno pointedly stares at the other, smiling as he shakes his head. Donghyuck receives his exasperation with a proud lift to his lips.

Recent times finds Jeno at the receiving end of Donghyuck’s, more or less, racy comments. He’s noticed that with each meeting and their rapidly growing relationship, the intensity of Donghyuck’s flirting has also increased. Before, the teasing remarks wouldn’t stray past innocent compliments made to admire his physical assets or personality traits. Now, Donghyuck has become bolder, and unabashedly toys at the fine line between being straightforward or suggestive.

The first time it happened, Jeno sat through their date with cheeks the same vibrant hue of the cherries garnishing their ice-cream sundaes. The next time there were no improvements on his part, but Donghyuck had definitely upped his game.

Jeno would like to say that he’s become immune to the confident flirting, but him and everyone’s moms know that’s far from the truth. He has become better at controlling his reactions, more appropriately put, faking nonchalance. He’ll act like he’s cringing at whatever slips past Donghyuck’s mouth, despite knowing that some natural physical reaction will expose the truth. It’s almost always some shade of red on his face.

Even if it’s at the hands of his own embarrassment, Donghyuck’s pleased grin is always worth it, so Jeno doesn’t mind as much as he likes to act like he does.

He’s graced with the same charming grin in return, both shrugging out their coats. Jeno hangs his on the coat hanger, and then takes Donghyuck’s from him, putting it away, and humming in response to Donghyuck’s  _ thank you _ .

As Donghyuck finds his way to the couch silently, Jeno scrambles into the kitchen, suddenly realizing that they’re alone inside his home for the very first time. Even though this is Donghyuck’s second time at his place, the first time had been a disaster because his cousin and best friend decided it would be hilarious to crash his date.

If Jeno were being honest, he wanted to get Donghyuck into his pants back then. Obviously, the extra company had shoved that thought right out the window.

Since then, all their dates have been at such odd, rushed timings, stuffed into their busy schedules, that doing anything other than meeting one another, they haven’t found the chance to test their compatibility in bed (as Jeno likes to refer to  _ it _ ).

Now that it’s just the two of them, and the possibility of something more happening –especially considering this is the first weekend in a few weeks Donghyuck’s gotten free, Jeno doesn’t know what to do with himself.

How does he get the message across to Donghyuck, that he wishes for them to bang, without it coming out so crude like that.

He could have gone down the greasy path, and asked the other man “coffee, tea, or  _ me _ ?” But he does not possess the guts to be that level of cringe, unlike Donghyuck.

It’s even more nerve wrecking, Jeno can feel Donghyuck’s stare on his back from where he’s stock still in front of the fridge acting like he’s doing something. He obviously isn’t, just chewing on his bottom lip as his eyes play ping-pong between a container of raspberries and a bottle of mustard.

It’s so quiet Jeno feels like they’re almost reverting back to their first few encounters.

“Are you sure you don’t want anything? I have this really good French vanilla cappuccino, you wanna try it?” He turns to look at Donghyuck, who’s made himself comfortable on the couch that faces the kitchen island.

The man smiles at him, wearing every bit of handsome that he is in his royal blue satin dress shirt and black slacks. He’s sat with a generous gap between his legs, reclining lazily, and Jeno glances away quickly, afraid of Donghyuck catching his wandering gaze.

“Sure, I’ll have some Jen.”

With that, Jeno begins on the task. Filling the electric kettle with water enough for two cups, the bubbling sound replacing the quiet. He brings out two cups from the nice tea set his mother stocked his cupboard with, and from another, he pulls out the box of instant cappuccino. He’s opening the drawer to his right for a tablespoon when he startles at the warm arms wrapping around his waist and the feeling of a body pressing itself against his back.

“Is this okay?” Donghyuck asks him, his breath coming in warm puffs under his ear. Jeno has zero control over the shiver that runs through him.

It only makes him blush hotter, from the fluttering in his stomach, to how close he can feel Donghyuck. Jeno hadn’t heard the other man approach him over the noise from the kettle.

“Yes, it’s okay.”  _ More than okay _ , he wishes to add, but it’ll disclose just how desperate he is for Donghyuck, so he doesn’t.

Instead he reverts to his practiced way, and opts to feign indifference, reaching for a spoon with a shaking hand. He doesn’t get too far, his hands curling over the counter ledge when Donghyuck presses closer and kisses right behind his ear, moving a bit lower, and leaving another kiss there.

“Is  _ this _ okay?” Donghyuck whispers, the words tickling his skin, warmth pooling in the pit of his stomach.

He nods again, turning his face towards his left shoulder where Donghyuck rests his chin, meeting the man’s dilated pupils with his own.

“Yes, it’s more than okay.” He answers truthfully.

They keep their gaze locked, barely an inch separating them, waiting for someone to break first.

Jeno gives in, tired of being strung, he glances down to Donghyuck’s lips, the sight extremely inviting, and he lowers his head –as if in a trance. Donghyuck meets him half-way.

The first brush of lips is tentative, just a press of lips, and a hitch of breath. Then it’s like they’ve had a taste, and crave the rest. Donghyuck momentarily separates them just to manhandle Jeno so he’s facing him, the counter digging into his lower back.

Donghyuck keeps a hand warm over his hip, and holds the side of his face with the other, bringing their mouths together with a renewed vigor. The pressure has a squeak erupting somewhere in his throat, his hands fumbling to grab onto something, which ends up being the delicate material of Donghyuck’s shirt. Jeno can’t measure the strength of his grip, but it’s enough to pop open a number of buttons.

He feels Donghyuck smirk against his lips, and Jeno feels like he should apologize.

“Sorry.” He breathes out, eyes lidded and falling to the tanned expanse of skin Donghyuck now shows.

Donghyuck laughs over his jaw, leaving a kiss there.

“No need to apologize when you’re on the right track Jen.”

Jeno feels the pleasant burst of heat course through him again, and he shivers, moving his hand in a moment of boldness to touch the bare skin presenting itself to him.

“What about the cappuccino?” He asks in an attempt to cover some of his embarrassment for being this blatantly thirsty.

Donghyuck kisses the corner of his mouth, and then the mole that sits atop his cheek, keeping his mouth against his skin like he can’t imagine separating from it.

“If you actually thought I was here to have some coffee, then you’re even more cuter than I initially thought.” He says, dropping his hand so Jeno’s waist is held from both sides.

Jeno moves his arms around Donghyuck’s shoulders, reconnecting their mouths instead of answering the man. He feels Donghyuck’s tongue touch his bottom lip, wet and warm against the plush skin, and he opens up, beckoning him forth. He swirls his tongue around Donghyuck’s, rolling them over one another. Donghyuck’s leading them at a languid pace, but every time he pulls away, he fucks his tongue back into his mouth with a force that coaxes Jeno to arch up into Donghyuck’s body. Jeno keeps his hands busy, gliding over the silky shirt, twisting the material in his fist, and then roaming his smooth skin.

A moan is pulled out of him at the heavy pressure Donghyuck’s knee puts between his legs, and he separates their mouths by a few centimetres, a string of saliva keeping them from being completely free of one another.

His lack of breath doesn’t deter Donghyuck, the man’s palms move all over him and feel him up, his torso and the small of his back. Donghyuck focuses on his lips again, nipping at them, running his tongue over the spot.

Jeno’s skin burns with want for the other’s mouth, his arousal needing more than just his lips being played with. But Donghyuck doesn’t seem to share the desperation, so he pushes a hand into the long gold-brown strands and pulls the man away from his lips, extending his neck when Donghyuck puts his gaze on him, trying to tell him to get on with it.

Donghyuck simply tugs the corner of his mouth upwards in the smug manner Jeno has familiarized himself with over the past few weeks.

“So impatient Jen.” He clicks his tongue, and Jeno’s face heats up some more, but thankfully Donghyuck obliges to his silent request.

And does he deliver, it’s like he forgoes any previous tenderness. Jeno feels the sharp canines dig into the taut skin over his collarbones, the pleasant sting and pressure making him lightheaded.

There’s so much happening all at once, his body feels like it’s become a melting pot of sensations. He doesn’t even know what to focus on. On the way Donghyuck bites and licks at all the sensitive parts of his neck, or his hands that continue mapping the length of his torso, teasing at the hem of his waistband, or his strong thigh incessantly pressing against his growing arousal, encouraging the small movement his pelvis is doing to rut against the muscle in search of relief.

Another moan sounds from him, and he belatedly realizes the kettle was done with heating the water, not that it mattered anymore.

“Hyuck.” He calls, trying to drag the man back to his mouth for a moment. But Donghyuck refuses to budge, keeping his head buried on the side of his neck, teeth pinching the skin, turning it into red and purple blotches.

His mouth waters as he registers another feeling against his hip, something hard and thick, and his hand naturally gravitates towards it.

Donghyuck moans against his skin, his bite a bit harsh, when Jeno feels the arousal with his palm. Donghyuck’s slacks are thin enough for him to get a good idea of his girth and it feels so nice in his hand that he keeps it there, moving back and forth over it.

Maybe in retaliation, or to please Jeno, he isn’t sure since it could be anything with Donghyuck, but the man moves his hold around his waist to his ass, kneading it a few times before detaching himself from Jeno with a frown, panting slightly.

He looks like a hot mess Jeno notes, hair ruffled –going this way and that, shirt wrinkled and unbuttoned down to his navel, eyes completely dark and lips swollen.

Jeno probably isn’t far off with his own visuals.

“We need to lose the clothes Jeno-yah.” He says, and  _ oh _ – _ okay _ , that’s true. He barely felt Donghyuck’s hands on his ass with how thick the material of his black jeans were.

But they’re in the kitchen? Is this where Donghyuck wants to do  _ it _ ? Cause of course, Jeno’s on board a hundred percent, but what if it’s only because he hasn’t explicitly invited Donghyuck into his bedroom?

“You wanna do it here?” He asks then, blinking at the man.

Donghyuck smiles at him, his eyes sparkling with mischief.

“I mean, meals should be eaten in the kitchen, right?”

Jeno groans, hiding his face behind his palms.

“Never say that again, please.” He laments.

Chuckling, Donghyuck pulls his hands away from his face and kisses his lips sweetly.

“It’s true though baby.”

The pet name only engulfs him in more heat.

“Are you sure?”

“Unless _you_ don’t wanna, I’m down Jen.” Donghyuck says against his lips, and Jeno shakes his head, _he’s_ _completely_ _down_.

Then it’s Jeno assuring the other of his answer by unbuttoning the remaining two buttons on Donghyuck’s shirt. The man understands, and begins to unclasp the buttons of Jeno’s nude-pink shirt, the cold air raising goosebumps over his heated skin. Donghyuck kisses down his throat, pushing the piece of clothing off his shoulders, letting it drop to the ground.

Jeno trembles against Donghyuck, ticklish under the hands freely roaming his chest. Donghyuck thumbs at his nipple, and Jeno keens in response, even more when Donghyuck covers the other one with his mouth, tongue flicking the raised bud as his fingers pinch and tug the other one. Jeno squeezes his eyes shut, his nipples feeling more sensitive than ever at how they’re being toyed with. He senses every nerve of his on high alert, and his arousal painfully suffocating in his jeans.

Jeno brings his hands back to Donghyuck’s slacks, fumbling terribly as Donghyuck continues to work his mouth over him. Honestly, Donghyuck seems to be in no rush, content with taking his time. But Jeno just wants one quick release so he can rid himself of some of the sexual frustration he’s been housing in wait for this day, and then Donghyuck can take all the time he wants.

Jeno unbuckles the belt looped into the slacks with some difficulty, letting it hit the floor with a loud  _ clang.  _ He unzips the fly, feeling the material stretch over the thickness. His mouth salivates again, and he looks downwards in hopes of seeing Donghyuck’s cock, but the man’s messy hair blocks his view.

“Hyuck.” He calls once more, and Donghyuck lifts his eyes, choosing to stay attached to a spot right above his left nipple, diligently sucking a mark into the skin.

The lewd gaze makes him feel like someone’s lit a piece of coal and left it to simmer in the pit of his stomach, it has his heartrate quickening even more than before.

“I can’t see.” Jeno whines out. Donghyuck lifts a brow in response, and Jeno palms at the clothed bulge.

Donghyuck’s understanding is manifested in the wolfish grin that splits across his face.

“A national crime, I’m sorry Jeno-yah.” He teases, moving back a bit.

Jeno continues where he left off, not waiting to admire the sizable bulge under the tight briefs. He pulls down the waistband, saliva pooling in his mouth at the filthy sound and way Donghyuck’s cock slaps against his pelvis. It’s flushed a deep purple, the tip glistening, and angry veins bulging over the moderate length. Donghyuck’s cock is more girth than length and Jeno thinks he blacks out for a second, lost in his head imagining just how wonderfully it would stretch him.

He curls his hand around the pulsating length, eyes drinking in the stark contrast of his fair skin over Donghyuck’s beautiful bronze. Jeno can sense Donghyuck’s heavy gaze on him, but let’s the other have the view of his dense lashes and red mouth.

“So hot, Hyuck.” He says –more to himself, slowly trailing a finger up and down Donghyuck’s cock, stopping at the head, he gets some precum on it, and he asks,

“are you clean?” Donghyuck nods, and it’s all he needs to bring his finger up to his mouth, wrapping his lips around the tip, moaning at the taste and lifting his eyes to gauge Donghyuck’s reaction. However, Donghyuck isn’t meeting his stare, instead he’s focused solely on his busy mouth.

In one rough movement, Donghyuck grasps his chin and tilts it towards him, shoving his tongue past his lips, claiming Jeno’s mouth again. The man pulls apart enough to breathe.

“That was fucking hot Jeno-yah.” The compliment is fed onto his lips.

Jeno feels Donghyuck’s hands inch towards his waistband, skimming over the ridges on his torso, the anticipation bubbling inside him.

The relief is instant, a tremor wrecking through his body at being freed from the restricting clothes, but unlike Jeno, who left Donghyuck with his cock hanging out of his slacks, Donghyuck pulls his jeans down his thighs, where he abruptly stops. Jeno watches, as the lust in Donghyuck’s eyes increases.

Jeno is aware of what has caught the other man’s interest, it’s impossible for him to not know when Donghyuck makes it a point to ghost his fingers over whatever his eyes feast on.

On his left leg, he has a garland of flowers tattooed onto the skin –a mix of lilies, carnations, and chrysanthemums, plain black ink, delicate and airy in style. They loosely coil his left thigh, starting from right above the back of his knee, winding once over the front of his thigh –into the inner part, trailing right under his ass cheek and ending over the side of his hip.

If Donghyuck hadn’t stopped right there, and taken his jeans off completely, he’d find his right leg to be decorated with the same dainty design, the only difference being that it winds down his calf, curling over the jut of his ankle bone.

The feather-like touches prickle his skin, and he tries to clamp his thighs together, attempting to escape Donghyuck’s fingers, but the man doesn’t allow it.

“This is so fucking pretty Jeno-yah.” He mutters, running his palms over the pattern.

“ _ So _ fucking pretty, just like you.”

Donghyuck snaps out of his brief trance, shoving his pants the rest of the way, and helping him step out of the bunched-up cloth, momentarily pausing to press a kiss onto the inside of his calf.

“Now let me see you.” Donghyuck says, and Jeno’s eyes flutter bashfully at the way the man sizes him up.

Jeno can’t help his hands from reflexively hovering over his exposed arousal, trying to hide it from Donghyuck’s lecherous stare. The modesty isn’t appreciated though, and Donghyuck takes hold of his wrists, moving them away and shamelessly peering down at his cock, curled up against the center of his pelvis. Jeno moans wantonly, leaning onto Donghyuck when he wraps his fist around his erection, massaging the head with his thumb.

“You’re pink all over Jeno-yah.” The man teases him, and Jeno huffs “do  _ something _ .”

Donghyuck nudges under his chin, coaxing him to look up at him.

“I am doing something.” He grins, and as if to justify his statement, he tugs his fist upwards with a laugh.

Jeno twists further into the man. The lack of slide does make the friction sting, but it isn’t completely unpleasant.

“You want me to fuck your thighs Jen?

Jeno keens in response, nodding his head and looking at the man through the gloss covering his eyes. Donghyuck grins at him, letting his cock breathe, rubbing his sides and prompting him to the opposite counter –free of mugs and a heated kettle.

A hiss passes his lips as Donghyuck, with a hand resting on his lower back, bends him over the cold marble of the kitchen island. The hard surface feels like ice against his own body heat, even more so on the head of his cock that touches the ledge. It has consecutive shivers running through him; however, he doesn’t pull away, welcoming the coolness on his feverish skin.

Curious to what Donghyuck’s doing behind him so silently, he lifts himself just enough to be able to look over his shoulder. Donghyuck’s eyes are focused, roaming all over the length of his legs, while he lazily fists his own cock.

The sight has saliva gathering in his mouth, he spreads his legs apart, and arches his back so his ass sticks out some more, providing the man an even more appetizing visual.

“Hyuck.” Jeno whines, swaying his hips to hopefully get the other to hurry, “the lubes under the sink.” He adds, and it seems to shake the man out of appreciating his backside.

With his brows deeply furrowed, Donghyuck asks him “what?”

Jeno huffs again, pouting his lips “Lube. Under the sink, I’ll explain later,  _ please _ .” He makes sure to move his hips again –hypnotizing Donghyuck into less talk and more action.

It works because Donghyuck follows his direction, reaching for the cabinet under the sink, rummaging for a second before emerging with the bottle in hand.

“Cotton candy flavor, interesting.” He hears Donghyuck comment, but otherwise he doesn’t look. His muscles were already straining cause of how tight his arousal was coiled in him, the last thing he wanted was a crick in his neck.

He hears the sound of the cap clicking open, and then the loud squirt from the liquid being squeezed out. Anticipation building, he curls his fists next to his shoulders, and bites his lip. He hears Donghyuck slick his cock, even more saliva filling his mouth at the visual treat his mind produces.

Donghyuck finally touches him, his palms sticky, wet, and cold. Jeno shudders, hissing softly. He first pays some attention to his ass, kneading the supple flesh in his palms, squishing the cheeks together and pulling them apart, he squeezes out a good amount of lube over his hole, and Jeno can feel the slide of it dripping down his perineum all the way to his balls, and even the insides of his thighs. Donghyuck rubs it further onto his hole, spreading the lube. The man runs a finger over his rim, tracing the outline, and dipping the tip of his finger in, tugging at the ring.

Jeno shudders against the counter, moaning and struggling between moving away from or into the ticklish sensation. Donghyuck seems to find his indecisiveness amusing, since he hears his chuckles from behind. With one last drag of his finger up his perineum and over his rim, Donghyuck holds onto his waist from either sides and tugs him backwards.

“Hold your thighs together for me.” He rasps.

“Like this?” Jeno murmurs, trying to follow the order.

“Tighter baby.” Donghyuck tells him, and he tries again, clenching the muscles in his thighs as much as he can.

“That’s it.” Donghyuck coos.

Jeno moans loud and unabashed at the feeling of Donghyuck forcing his cock into the tight space between his thighs, touching his balls with the slow drag. Donghyuck mirrors the desperate sound with his own, and it encourages Jeno to pull more noises like that from the man. He moves his hips back on his own, loving the feeling of Donghyuck’s cock rubbing his balls, and nudging the underside of his cock whenever the head peaks between the front of his thighs.

Even though it’s far from making him see stars, the thought of the filthy way they’re getting off, adds onto his arousal and knocks him closer to the edge.

Donghyuck stills him with a grunt, restricting Jeno from moving over his cock. He startles at the strong pull on his waist, and he lets out a strangled noise from the back of his throat. Donghyuck keeps at it, faster now, moving him back and forth, quick and rough. Jeno’s ass burns from where it keeps slapping against Donghyuck’s pelvis, and his legs tremble from the effort it takes to keep his muscles taut.

“You’re loosening up baby.” Donghyuck grunts out, and Jeno clenches up again with a moan, the head of his own cock repeatedly rubbing against the ledge.

The obscene squelching noises are boisterous around them, so are the sounds of their ragged breaths and stuttered moans. Jeno feels himself nearing his climax, and he shoves a hand between himself and the counter towards his flushed cock, but Donghyuck moves it away.

“You close Jeno-yah?” he asks, voice hoarse, as he takes hold of Jeno’s cock.

“Yes,  _ yes  _ I am.” Jeno answers desperately.

With one hand guiding his waist back and forth in the harsh pace, Donghyuck’s other hand stimulates his cock, and Jeno can’t help but tremble and whine in the hold Donghyuck has around him. High-pitched moans leave his mouth, one after the other. He begins to whimper as Donghyuck fastens his thrusts and curls his fist tighter around his cock, the squelching sound dirty and loud.

Jeno’s climax hits him just as Donghyuck digs his thumb onto the head of his cock, and he comes with a cry of Donghyuck’s name, shaking through the aftershocks, belatedly feeling something warm and moist splattered over his stomach.

The stimulation doesn’t stop however, cause Donghyuck’s cock relentlessly brushes against his balls, and he can only whimper some more and tremble as his sensitivity is tested, tears pricking his eyes.

“I’m near, just hold out some more baby.” Donghyuck pleads behind him, and Jeno tries, despite his vision being nothing but static, and his heart skipping beats, he strains the muscles in his thighs some more, the desire to make Donghyuck come the only thing in his blissed-out mind.

Donghyuck grunts behind him, and he feels the thick girth slip away from between his thighs. Jeno musters enough strength to lift himself on his elbows to look over his shoulder at Donghyuck.

Their gaze meets, a smirk curling over Donghyuck’s mouth, and the image is so hot, Jeno feels something heady pulse within him again. He watches like a hawk, Donghyuck working his hand quickly over his cock, not moving his eyes away from Jeno’s. The man keeps at it till a string of  _ fuck _ ’s leave his mouth and he frantically tugs at his cock.

Jeno watches him, with raw desire, aim the swollen head of his cock a bit lower, out of his sight, but Jeno feels it when Donghyuck finally comes. There’s the warm feeling of something splattering on the back of his thigh, probably over his tattoo. He focuses with keen interest as Donghyuck stretches out his hand towards his thigh where he just shot his cum, and shivers a bit at the fingers that seem to wipe away the sticky substance.

Then Donghyuck is looking up at him, smiling lazily, erasing the space between them. He brings his fingers, covered in the thick liquid, closer to Jeno’s mouth.

“Open up baby.” Donghyuck tells him, inches away from his face, his stare heavy.

A tired moan leaves Jeno when Donghyuck doesn’t wait for him to open his mouth but instead just shoves two of his fingers covered in cum past his lips. The pungent taste is stronger this time around, but Jeno laps it up diligently. He bobs his head over the fingers, the tips hitting the back of his throat each time he pulls away and sucks them back into his mouth. 

The angle makes his neck strain but it’s every bit worth the pain when Donghyuck eyes him like a starved man. Donghyuck presses down on his tongue, and Jeno moans again, holding the man’s wrist in place and fluttering his eyes closed, sucking on the fingers with more vigor. There’s saliva pooling at the corners of his mouth, and he feels the drool trickle down the side of his chin, reaching his jaw. Donghyuck covers the spot with his lips though, his tongue warm against the skin.

He slips the fingers out of his mouth when the pain in his neck increases slightly, finally opening his eyes. Donghyuck too detaches himself from kissing whatever part of him was in easy access to him, gazing at him in awe. 

“You’re fucking out of this world Jeno-yah.” The man rasps to him, voice revealing how affected he was by the show Jeno just put on. 

Jeno internally preens under the compliment, but is only able to offer a tired smile on the surface.

He can already measure just how sore his legs are going to be tomorrow. Even so, Jeno doesn’t regret it at all,  _ hell  _ he’d do it again –just give him a few minutes to gather his wits.

He closes his eyes, smiling as Donghyuck drapes himself across his back, his pulse beating erratically against Jeno’s shoulder blades.

“That was” Donghyuck starts and Jeno nods “yeah.”

They stay like that till both regulate their breathing patterns, which is futile for Jeno since Donghyuck’s question knocks the breath out of him once more.

“How about another round?”

Jeno would never say  _ no _ .

After riding Donghyuck nice and slow on his couch, and then getting fucked hard and rough against the glass walls of his shower stall –under the spray of hot water, they now lay in bed, exhausted beyond belief, clad in just their boxers. Jeno has his head tucked under Donghyuck’s chin, an arm and leg thrown over the man. Donghyuck holds him close, gently trailing his fingers over the length of his thigh.

A question itches the back of his throat, it has been for a few weeks, and Jeno knows he won’t get any sleep if he doesn’t voice it. It forces his nerves to stand on edge, but a bigger part of him tries to appease him, assuring him that he won’t meet rejection.

They get along so well, the two of them, and Donghyuck often looks at him so fondly, as if he’s gifted him the stars and moon. Jeno is as sure as he can be that his feelings are completely reciprocated.

That doesn’t make it any less intimidating however, and he traces random designs over the tanned expanse of Donghyuck’s shoulder to spend his nervous energy and build his courage.

But building courage is useless to him, cause the tip of his finger only twirls quicker in spiral patterns –nothing else. So, he opts for spontaneity, and calls out Donghyuck’s name. He answers with a hum.

“Umm—” he begins, and the hesitance in his tone alerts Donghyuck cause the man’s fingers halt over his thigh.

“Hyuck, I wanna be your boyfriend.” Jeno squeezes his eyes shut, burrowing further into Donghyuck.

He feels Donghyuck shake under him, and then he hears the chuckles.

“It was  _ that _ good huh?”

Jeno slaps his shoulder gently, huffing and acting like he’s about to turn his back to Donghyuck, but the man doesn’t let him, protesting as he arranges Jeno back into their previous position.

“No, no I’m kidding Jen, of course you can, you’re my boyfriend starting now, and I’m yours okay?”

Jeno’s heart flutters pleasantly at the thought and he presses his lips briefly against his  _ boyfriend’s _ neck, snuggling into him some more. Donghyuck kisses the top of his head.

“Night Hyuck.”

“Night Jen.”

Jeno knows, that day when he tripped over nothing and fell on his ass at the church, it felt like the worst thing to ever happen to him. Now though, laying in the arms of probably the hottest, handsomest, kindest man in existence, he realizes it was in fact the best thing to ever happen to him. He’s ready to fall on his ass time and time again if it means he’ll get to have Donghyuck in return.

**Bonus**

It’s at dinner with his hyungs and now –boyfriend, that Jeno let’s Doyoung and Jaehyun know about Donghyuck and himself.

Doyoung had invited the gang to his place, saying that he was cooking and it’s been a while since they all met up, so they should have a small party with just the four of them. 

The new couple had mutually agreed that they’d break the news to their friends during their get together, sounding like it was the best thing to do at the time.

However, Jeno can’t even remember how the food had tasted, even though they were still sitting at the table, just talking about mundane things. His leg won’t stop bouncing and his hands feel a bit clammy. 

He doesn’t understand why he’s so nervous.

The duo sit across from him and his boyfriend, every so often calculating their every move whenever Jeno puts food on his boyfriend’s plate or Donghyuck holds up his own spoon to feed him something.

Of course, his Doyoung hyung and Jaehyun hyung would be happy for him, for both of them. After all, in a way it  _ was _ Jaehyun that set them up, at least he was the one to push Donghyuck to ask him out on a date. 

So, they would most likely be delighted, he’s sure of it.

“Hyung.”

Two men turn to look at him.

He clears his throat and tries again.

“Umm Doyoung hyung, Jaehyun hyung, me and Hyuck have something to tell you.”

He feels Donghyuck reach for his hand under the table, filling the gaps between his fingers with his own. He smiles briefly at the man, as a way of thanks.

“So umm, I wanted to introduce you guys to my boyfriend.” He says, smiling softly and batting his eyelashes at them, being familiar with how it affected them.

But he was certainly not expecting _ this _ .

Doyoung smiles back at him –very sweetly, putting his fork down and resting his chin over his clasped hands.

“I’m so happy for you Jeno-yah –where is he?” 

Baffled, Jeno’s eyes widen and he snaps his head to his left, finding Donghyuck glaring at his cousin with his jaw clenched and gaze narrowed. 

“ _ Doyoung _ .” His boyfriend grits out, smile strained.

“Oh, hell no!” Jaehyun yells, hands slamming against the table, his cutlery lifting off the surface and clattering back down.

“Oh, hell  _ yes. _ ” Donghyuck replies, bringing their joined hands to his mouth and placing a kiss to Jeno’s knuckles.

He sees Jaehyun turn to his cousin, letting his pink haired head fall onto the broad shoulder nearest to him. 

The man sobs.

“ _ Doyoung _ ,  _ your baby’s been courted. _ ”

“ _ Oh, hell no! _ ”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> its donee yayyyyy!!!!!!!!!!!
> 
> i would like to give my big big thanks to minnie and mag, minnie for taking time to proof-read this thing, and mag for helping me with my smut block and for listening to me whine about how difficult writing smut is lolol and also to vii for hyping me up, well to all three of them for hyping me up -ily :) 
> 
> this is done yayyy, till next time, spoiler -it's hyuckno again wish me luck

**Author's Note:**

> just in case you're curious, the tall man Jaehyun was making heart eyes at was johnny 
> 
> i hope the first chapter was to your liking!!! 
> 
> please leave a comment if you liked it!! it will make me happy, so so happy i might cry. 
> 
> until next timeee
> 
> toodless ^^


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